PHF bosses to meet FIH chief within a week

KARACHI: Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) president Brig (rtd) Khalid Khokhar and secretary Shahbaz Ahmed will visit Dubai in the second week of September to meet FIH president Narindar Batra and other high officials and talk about the participation of the Green-shirts in World Cup 2018 in India.

Pakistan have almost qualified for the World Cup, but the PHF fears that obtaining visas for the team members and the management would be a problem.

Pakistan could not participate in the Junior World Cup 2016 in India because visas were not issued by the Indian government. That act of the Indian government deprived Pakistan juniors of the chance to participate in the most important event at the junior level.

Pakistan hockey is passing through a very tough period in its history. The Green-shirts failed to qualify for the World Cup 2014, and Rio Olympics 2016. Pakistan hockey authorities, therefore, want to make the country’s participation in the next World Cup certain by taking up the issue at the highest level.

There is a feeling in Pakistan hockey fraternity that the FIH has not played its role to make Pakistan’s participation in all important events possible since the time Narindar Batra, who was previously chief of Indian hockey, assumed the charge as FIH president. He seems to have avoided using his authority to prevent India from creating hurdles in the participation of Pakistan in those international events which are being organised in India.

India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral series for many years because of political tension between the two countries. The PHF high officials will inform the FIH of Pakistan’s willingness to play against India anywhere but they want assurance that there will be no hurdle in the participation of Pakistan in the World Cup 2018.

The PHF high-ups are to tell FIH head that if India has any reservations about the participation of Pakistan in any international hockey event organized in India, the FIH should change the venue of event. “FIH is the custodian of world hockey, not any particular country,” an official said.

Sources told ‘The News’ that the PHF had finally decided to communicate its problems to the FIH president to make the issue transparent and inform the hockey-playing countries what excesses Pakistan hockey has suffered in the recent past.

The sources further said that the PHF high-ups will also discuss with the FIH other developments in Pakistan hockey and invite them to Pakistan during the tour of World Hockey XI in October. They will seek the help of the FIH to restore international hockey in Pakistan.

Meanwhile, the PHF is making arrangements for nine-a-side Nishan-e-Haider hockey tournament in Karachi at Abdul Sattar Edhi stadium in October.

The details of the event will be announced shortly, a PHF official said. The preparation for the World Hockey XI visit will be started after Eid-ul-Adha holidays, sources in PHF said. The World Hockey XI will visit Pakistan in November.

Pakistan senior team will participate in the Asia Cup 2017, in Bangladesh in October. PHF plans a five-match series between Pakistan seniors and Pakistan development squad before the departure of Green-shirts for Bangladesh. All five matches will be played in Karachi. The schedule will be announced this week, the PHF sources said.

The training camp of the seniors is in progress at the Edhi stadium, and that of the development squad at Johar Town Hockey Stadium, Lahore. The players were given a short break for Eid-ul-Adha.