Pakistan's hockey World Cup winner Naveed Alam diagnosed with cancer, seeks government help for treatment

Karachi: Former Pakistan hockey player Naveed Alam, a member of the 1994 World Cup-winning squad, has sought financial help from the government after being diagnosed with blood cancer. Naveed, 47, a rugged full-back who represented Pakistan with distinction and was a member of the team that won the World Cup in 1994 in Sydney, has appealed to the government and sports bodies to assist in the treatment of his cancer. His sister, Nargis told the media that Naveed needed four million Pakistani rupees for treatment of his blood cancer and his financial condition was not stable. “I appeal to the Prime Minister, Imran Khan to help us out,” she said. Naveed, who played in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, has also coached Bangladesh and China hockey teams and served as director of development in the Pakistan Hockey Federation before he parted ways over differences on several issues. A source close to Naveed said that he had not been feeling well for some days and when his family took him to the Shaukat Khanum Hospital in Lahore, he was informed about his blood cancer. The source said that Javed Afridi, the owner of one of the franchises in the Pakistan Super League, Peshawar Zalmi had contacted the family of the World Cup Winner and assured them he will take care of all the hospital expenses for Naveed.