Poland hockey team pulls out of Pak tour

ISLAMABAD: Poland hockey team that was scheduled to visit Pakistan in April has pulled out of tour citing domestic engagements as the reason.

Brig (rtd) Khalid Sajjad Khokhar President Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) during last Congress meeting revealed that Poland team was due to play matches in Pakistan in April. “Poland national team would be visiting Pakistan in April this year. We are to from four groups of teams to play series of matches against the visiting team during their one week of stay in Pakistan. These teams would consist of players who are U-24 year of age,” he said while revealing details of the tour.

The News has however learnt that the Poland federation now has expressed their inability to tour Pakistan in April. “Yes, we have received a letter from the Polish Hockey expressing inability to tour Pakistan in April. They have cited their domestic commitments as the reason for the pull out,” a PHF official when contacted said.

He said that possibility was there that the team would reschedule its tour in September instead. It is believe that the border tension between Pakistan and India is said to be the reason of this pull out.

At a time when over 34 international cricket stars are in the country for Pakistan Super League (PSL), Poland team’s reluctance or PHF inability to convince the team to tour Pakistan raises questions over the future of national game. “I am surprised over Poland team’s decision not to come to Pakistan. They are minnows of hockey ranked outside 30.

The tour would have benefitted them instead of Pakistan. Possibly we don’t have convincing power to make them realize that Pakistan is safe country to play. The PHF officials should have given them the PSL example,” one of the leading former players when approached said. He said Pakistan hockey has no directions. “At this point of time Pakistan hockey is directionless. There is no local and international events neither there is any hope for future. All hockey activities are at the standstill. I am really worried about Pakistan hockey,” he said.