Pakistan’s hockey teams will not be stopped from competing in next month’s Asia Cup and the subsequent junior World Cup in India as any move to block the arch-foes from multi-lateral competitions in the country would be a violation of the Olympic Charter, a sports ministry source said on Thursday.
While the Asia Cup is scheduled to be held in Rajgir, Bihar from August 27 to September 7, the junior World Cup will be organised in Chennai and Madurai from November 28 to December 10.
“We are not against any team competing in India in a multi-national competition. If we try to stop Pakistan it would be seen as a violation of the Olympic Charter. Likewise, we will also show up for any multi-national event that features Pakistan. But bilateral is different and there will be no relaxation on that front,” the source said.
The ministry’s decision also clears the decks for Pakistani participation in the junior World Cup of shooting, scheduled here in September, and the World Para-Athletics Championships, also in the national capital in September-October.
The Charter is akin to the constitution of the Olympic movement and stresses on sport as a tool for promoting international peace and cooperation.
When asked whether this means India will be allowed to play against Pakistan in the Asia Cup of cricket in September, the source said, “The BCCI is yet to reach out to the ministry on this. We will address this query when they approach us.”
Speculation is rife that India and Pakistan will play each other in a round robin match during the continental tournament, which is set to be held in the UAE or Sri Lanka even though the original host is India.
India and Pakistan have been avoiding bilateral sporting engagements after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks but even multi-lateral face-offs were in doubt after the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 tourists were gunned down in April.
In May, India retaliated with Operation Sindoor, targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan, leading to a tense military showdown that de-escalated on Pakistan’s request for a ceasefire.
“International sports demands that we cannot back out from competing in multi-national competitions. Take for instance, Russia and Ukraine, they are at war but they show up at multi-national events and compete as well. That’s the norm and we are respecting these norms,” the source said.
“We have informed Hockey India about this decision,” he added.
Hockey India (HI) welcomed the ministry’s call.
“We welcome government’s decision. Our stance from the beginning was that whatever the government decides, we will abide by that. There is no other argument in that,” HI secretary general Bhola Nath Singh said. PTI
