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Pakistan Cleared for Asian Champions Trophy Under India's Sports Policy
Pakistan is expected to play India in a hockey tournament in Punjab.
Six countries will take part in the Asian Champions Trophy.
The teams are India, Pakistan, China, Japan, Malaysia, and Korea.
The tournament will be held from October 27 to November 5.
League games will be played in Jalandhar.
The semi-finals and final will be played in Mohali.
India allows Pakistan to compete in group tournaments involving several countries.
However, India does not allow regular two-country sports series with Pakistan.
Pakistan will compete alongside India and four other teams in the Asian Champions Trophy in Punjab.
The tournament will run from October 27 to November 5 at venues in Jalandhar and Mohali.
India’s policy permits competition with Pakistan in multilateral events but bars bilateral engagements.
League matches will be held in Jalandhar, while the semi-finals and final are scheduled for Mohali.
Pakistan previously withdrew from the Junior World Cup in Tamil Nadu amid heightened tensions between the countries.
- Who
- India, Pakistan, China, Japan, Malaysia, and Korea will compete, with Oman and Bangladesh listed as reserve teams.
- What
- The Men's Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament will be held with Pakistan's participation confirmed under India's multilateral sports policy.
- Where
- League matches will be played in Jalandhar, Punjab, and the semi-finals and final in Mohali, Punjab.
- When
- The tournament is scheduled for October 27 through November 5.
- Why
- India's policy permits Indian and Pakistani athletes to compete in multilateral events while restricting bilateral engagements.
Multilateral Participation Allowed
Bilateral Engagement Restricted
Pakistan's participation
Multilateral Participation Allowed
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said Pakistan can participate because the event is a multilateral tournament, consistent with the stated sports policy and Olympic Charter.
Bilateral Engagement Restricted
India's policy does not permit bilateral sports series with Pakistan, and Pakistan previously withdrew from the Junior World Cup in Tamil Nadu amid tensions between the countries.
India-Pakistan hockey relations
Multilateral Participation Allowed
Hockey India secretary general Bhola Nath Singh described relations between the two countries' hockey federations as excellent and said players show each other respect.
Bilateral Engagement Restricted
The wider political tensions have affected sporting participation, including Pakistan's withdrawal from the previous Junior World Cup.
Key facts
- Tournament
- Men's Asian Champions Trophy hockey
- Dates
- October 27 to November 5
- Participating teams
- India, Pakistan, China, Japan, Malaysia, and Korea
- Reserve teams
- Oman and Bangladesh
- League venue
- Jalandhar
- Final venue
- Mohali
- Defending champion
- India, which won the 2023 and 2024 editions
Quotes
Bhola Nath Singh
Hockey India secretary general who addressed relations between the two federations
“I want to say this on record that we share very good relations between the hockey federations of India and Pakistan.”
freepressjournal.in
“There is no problem in multinational tournaments. Maybe individual series (India and Pakistan) cannot take place.”
freepressjournal.in
Sources
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