Mumbai, Oct 23 With just over a month to go for the opening match, Pakistan have withdrawn from the FIH Men's Junior World Cup hockey tournament to be played from November 28 to December 10 in Chennai and Madurai, citing the political tensions with India as the reason.
According to a report in Telecom Asia Sport (www.telecomasia.net), the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), after consulting their government, has sent an official intimation to FIH, which in turn will inform Hockey India.
This is the second event in India that Pakistan has withdrawn from after the Men's Asia Cup in Rajgir, Bihar.
Pakistan Hockey Federation secretary Rana Mujahid confirmed the decision.
“Yes, we feel the situation is not conducive under the current situation,” Mujahid told www.telecomasia.net. “The recent Asia Cup cricket event has proved that India has extreme emotions against Pakistan. Their players did not shake hands with our players, and then they refused to receive the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, which was shameful," he added.
Pakistan were placed in Group B alongside India, Chile and Switzerland. The FIH will now take a call on calling up a substitute team.
A top PHF official said the decision was taken after consultation with the Pakistan government.
“We sought the advice of the government and Pakistan Sports Board, who have told us that under the current political tension, it will not be feasible to send the team to India for the Junior World Cup as it will be a big security risk,” a top official of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) said..
The official said the FIH has been informed about the decision, which will in turn convey the decision to Hockey India, the report added.
Pakistan also pulled out of the Asia Cup tournament in August, where they were replaced by Bangladesh. Pakistan’s pullout cost them a place in next year’s World Cup as the event was a qualifying round for the mega event.
“We know it’s a great loss to the Junior team, but at this point in time, with so much negative emotion, the decision is apt and wise,” said the official.
The Pakistan junior team recently played India in the Sultan of Johor Cup in Malaysia, where both teams shared high-fives before taking their positions in the field. The match ended in a 3-3 draw.
Pakistan's Junior team has been preparing for the World Cup for over a year with three series against international teams, but will now be deprived of participation.
The relations between the two nations have further soured after India attacked the terror infrastructure in Pakistan in cross-border airstrikes called Operation Sindoor, following the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 tourists were killed.
The tension spilt onto the sports field as the BCCI refused to send the men's cricket team to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy, forcing Pakistan to opt for a hybrid model with India playing its matches in Dubai.
The Indian players did not shake hands with the Pakistan players in three matches and also refused to receive the trophy from Mohsin Naqvi, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chairman, who is also PCB chief and Pakistan's Interior Minister.
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