Brigadier (R) Manzoor Hussain Atif (4 September 1928 – 8 December 2008) was a secretary of

Pakistan Hockey Federation The Pakistan Hockey Federation () is the governing body for the sport of field hockey in Pakistan. It is affiliated with the International Hockey Federation (FIH), Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) and Pakistan Sports Board (PSB). Management posit ...

and an Olympian in the game of

field hockey Field hockey (or simply referred to as hockey in some countries where ice hockey is not popular) is a team sport structured in standard hockey format, in which each team plays with 11 players in total, made up of 10 field players and a goalk ...

. In 1994, he was a recipient of the Silver

Olympic Order The Olympic Order, established in 1975, is the highest award of the Olympic Movement. It is awarded for particularly distinguished contributions to the Olympic Movement, i.e. recognition of efforts worthy of merit in the cause of sport. Tradit ...

Early life and career

Atif started as a soldier in the

Pakistan Armed Forces The Pakistan Armed Forces (; ) are the military forces of Pakistan. It is the world's sixth-largest military measured by active military personnel and consists of three uniformed services—the Army, Navy, and the Air Force, which are backe ...

and eventually reached the rank of a Brigadier. Later while Atif was involved with the

Pakistan national hockey team The Pakistan men's national field hockey team () represents Pakistan in international field hockey. Having played its first match in 1948, it is administered by the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), the governing body for hockey in Pakistan. ...

, the team won one

Olympic gold medal Olympic or Olympics may refer to Sports Competitions * Olympic Games, international multi-sport event held since 1896 ** Summer Olympic Games ** Winter Olympic Games * Ancient Olympic Games, ancient multi-sport event held in Olympia, Greece bet ...

in 1960 and two

Olympic silver medal An Olympic medal is awarded to successful competitors at one of the Olympic Games. There are three classes of medal to be won: gold, silver, and bronze, awarded to first, second, and third place, respectively. The granting of awards is laid ou ...

s in 1956 and 1964. He is regarded as one of the most successful Olympians of Pakistan. * Atif was the Secretary of

for 11 years * Atif was the Secretary of

Asian Hockey Federation The Asian Hockey Federation is the governing body for the sport of field hockey in Asia. It now has 33 member associations. It is affiliated to the International Hockey Federation. The current president is Fumio Ogura and the patron is Al-Sul ...

for 16 years * Atif was the Vice President of

from 1982 to 2001

Awards and recognition

Pride of Performance The Pride of Performance (), officially known as the Presidential Pride of Performance, is an award bestowed by the Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Pakistan to recognize people with "notable achievements in the field of art, science, literature, sp ...

Award for Sports in 1963 by the

President of Pakistan The president of Pakistan () is the head of state of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. The president is the nominal head of the executive and the supreme commander of the Pakistan Armed Forces.

* Lifetime Achievement Award by the

Death and legacy

Atif died on 8 December 2008 in Combined Military Hospital

Rawalpindi Rawalpindi is the List of cities in Punjab, Pakistan by population, third-largest city in the Administrative units of Pakistan, Pakistani province of Punjab, Pakistan, Punjab. It is a commercial and industrial hub, being the list of cities in P ...

, Pakistan at age 80. He was a passionate person as a field hockey player as well as a Pakistan Hockey Team manager. Pakistan won its second

Mexico City Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...

in 1968 and then at

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

in 1984 when he was their team manager. He was a highly respected person in the field hockey world.

Qasim Zia Qasim Zia (born 7 August 1961) is a Pakistani politician and former field hockey player. He was appointed as president, Pakistan Hockey Federation in October 2008. He was a member of the Provincial Assembly of the Punjab, Pakistan during 2002� ...

and Asif Bajwa of the

paid rich tributes to Atif at a memorial ceremony event held at

Lahore Lahore ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Administrative units of Pakistan, Pakistani province of Punjab, Pakistan, Punjab. It is the List of cities in Pakistan by population, second-largest city in Pakistan, after Karachi, and ...

, after his death. Qasim Zia said, "He was not only a pure administrator but also a very polite and humble person."

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Atif, Manzoor Hussain 1928 births 2008 deaths Pakistani male field hockey players Olympic field hockey players for Pakistan Olympic gold medalists for Pakistan Olympic silver medalists for Pakistan Olympic medalists in field hockey Medalists at the 1956 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 1960 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 1964 Summer Olympics Field hockey players at the 1952 Summer Olympics Field hockey players at the 1956 Summer Olympics Field hockey players at the 1960 Summer Olympics Field hockey players at the 1964 Summer Olympics Field hockey players at the 1958 Asian Games Field hockey players at the 1962 Asian Games Pakistani sports executives and administrators Recipients of the Pride of Performance People from Gujrat District Asian Games gold medalists for Pakistan Asian Games field hockey players for Pakistan Medalists at the 1962 Asian Games Medalists at the 1958 Asian Games Recipients of the Olympic Order 20th-century Pakistani sportsmen Asian Games gold medalists in field hockey