Pakistan Hockey Teams Cleared for India Travel for Asia Cup and Junior World Cup: Sports Ministry
Paving the way for the Pakistan men's hockey teams to compete in upcoming sports events in India, a source from the Sports Ministry confirmed on Thursday that the country will participate in next month's Asia Cup and the Junior World Cup later this year. The decision was influenced by the Olympic Charter, which does not permit blocking participation in such events.
Despite the ongoing suspension of bilateral sports relations between India and Pakistan, the government has assured that it will not interfere with Pakistan's involvement in multinational tournaments hosted by India. The Asia Cup is slated to occur in Rajgir, Bihar, from August 27 to September 7, and the Junior World Cup is planned for Chennai and Madurai from November 28 to December 10.
A ministry source clarified, "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. But bilateral is different, and there will be no relaxation on that front."
The Olympic Charter, which oversees the Olympic movement, promotes sport as a means of fostering peace and international unity. Excluding a country from participating in global or continental competitions risks international scrutiny and could jeopardize India's prospects of hosting future events.
When questioned about whether this decision applies to the upcoming Asia Cup in cricket this September, where India and Pakistan are grouped together, the source mentioned, "The BCCI is yet to reach out to the ministry on this. We will address this query when they approach us."
India and Pakistan have not engaged in a bilateral series in any sport for almost two decades, and multilateral interactions have faced challenges amid tense political relations. Tensions heightened after the Pahalgam terror attack in April, which claimed the lives of 26 Indian tourists. India's subsequent Operation Sindoor targeted terror infrastructure across the border, leading to a brief military standoff that lessened after Pakistan sought 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, yet they turn up for events and compete. The same principle applies here," the official added.
Hockey India (HI), the host of both tournaments, expressed approval of the decision.
"We welcome the 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," stated Bhola Nath Singh, secretary general of HI.
Previously, HI had affirmed its intention to adhere to any directive from the government concerning Pakistan's participation.
