Pakistan has received a trophy for being the fairest field hockey team in this year's Athens Olympics, where it finished fifth in the actual event, an official said Monday. The award, which Pakistan won for getting the least green, yellow and red cards and playing clean hockey, was announced at the 38th annual International Hockey Federation (FIH) Congress in Leipzig, Germany, attended by 60 countries.
"It's a great honour for Pakistan that they were selected as the fairest team in the Athens Olympics," former Pakistan captain and member of the FIH Rules Board Islahuddin Siddiqui told AFP.
Three-times Olympic and four times world champions Pakistan finished fifth at the Olympics in Greece in August this year. Australia won its maiden Olympic title by beating defending champions The Netherlands in the final.
"I received the trophy on behalf of Pakistan but I would love to see Pakistan take a major hockey trophy, hopefully the Champions Trophy," said Siddiqui.
Pakistan have not won a major hockey title since their 1994 World Cup and Champions Trophy wins.
Meanwhile, world champions Germany arrived in Pakistan ahead of the 26th Champions Trophy, which is being held in the eastern city of Lahore December 4-12.
Defending champions The Netherlands, New Zealand, hosts Pakistan, Spain and India are the other teams in the annual event contested by the world's top six teams.
Olympic champions Australia pulled out of the trophy last month over security fears, making way for India who finished seventh at the Athens Olympics.
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