PHF chief backs resumption of hockey activities

ISLAMABAD: President Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) Brig (rtd) Khalid Sajjad Khokhar has backed return to the hockey field beginning the domestic engagements with five-aside activities and that too between the under-19 players.

Talking to The News Monday, the PHF president said once the COVID-19 settled down, hockey’s domestic activities would be off to slow but planed start. “We are in no mood to take unnecessary risks at this point of time when there seems no reprieve. The fact of the matter is that these days the virus is spreading and the peak time has yet to come. Definitely we want to restart domestic activities as soon as possible but for that we need a bit of recession in COVID-19 impact. Once we feel things are returning back to normal we can restart hockey activities as our players are desperately in need of practice and matches.” “Hockey like football is a contact sports where there is a bigger chances of infection spread. So what we are planning is to get off to a slow start. The best way forward according to my understanding is to plan for domestic activities in a way that minimum number of players could be engaged. All this is possible after finalising SOPs for these activities.”

Pakistan are to compete for place in the 2023 five aside World Cup which is being organized for the first time by the International Hockey Federation (FIH). All leading teams will have to play qualification round.

“By organizing five aside domestic level competition we would be in a position to pick the best possible outfit for the event. However, after selecting talented under-19 players, these would be trained and then would be put in local competition.

Sports around the world has changed drastically following the COVID-19. Besides the financial impacts, the virus also left majority of the games searching for ways and means for survival. Since hockey is a team sports, it requires sensible handling and proper SOPs and regular testing.”

To a question about top players fate and their activities these day he said majority of the leading hockey players were from smaller towns and villages. “So obviously they are finding it hard to train and practice. The lockdown has confined these players to their homes for almost three months now. Our coaches and trainers have been working on them through video link. That effort is only meant to keep them fit. But they need some practice on the hockey field.

Majority of these players have no access to hockey ground around so that they hardly get the opportunity to train. We are also working on the possibilities to help them out by establishing small groups. That however is only possible when we get some reprieve from the virus and things start getting back to normal.”