A day after Pakistan refused to travel to India to participate in the Asian Champions Trophy, Hockey India general secretary Bhola Nath Singh said, “The show will go on.”
Just a few days ago, Hockey India had confirmed the arrival of the Pakistan team for the tournament, to be held in Punjab, and announced the India-Pakistan clash on November 1. However, Pakistan’s hockey body wrote to the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) to either move the event out of India or shift their matches to a neutral venue.
“They don’t want to come, it’s their call. They had confirmed us their entry, after which the host state was asked to make arrangements. We got to know about their refusal but Hockey India will not change the venue or schedule. If they don’t wish to come, they will be replaced by one of the reserves (Oman or Bangladesh),” Bhola Nath told The Tribune.
In a statement, Pakistan Hockey Federation president Mohyuddin Ahmed Wani said the decision was made after looking into the current sensitive relation between both countries and to ensure a safe environment for the Pakistan players and staff.
“We didn’t just announce their arrival without any confirmation from them. What happened after that is still not clear. However, Hockey India has made it clear that the venue will not be changed. In the coming days, we will officially announce their replacement if Pakistan refuse to come,” Bhola Nath said.
