The Hindu : Sport : FIH monitoring situation in Pakistan

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 01, 2007
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Sport

FIH monitoring situation in Pakistan

S. Thyagarajan

Chennai: The International Hockey Federation (FIH) is monitoring the situation in Pakistan carefully, consequent to the withdrawal of Australia from the Champions Trophy citing security concerns.

Pakistan is to host the next edition of the Champions Trophy at Lahore from December 1 to 9.

While confirming that the FIH, in fact, has officially been informed of Australia’s decision to not accept the invitation for the Samsung Champions Trophy, sources concede that any decision about the event will be taken during the four-day meeting scheduled at Beijing (China) from August 7 to 11.

Series of meetings

The series of meetings at the Chinese capital, which also is the host for the Olympic Games in 2008, will chart out the major programmes for the FIH for the next four years.

FIH sources indicate that the situation in Pakistan is being monitored carefully along with responses from other invited teams for the Champions Trophy. The FIH will also finalise the team to replace Australia.

Meanwhile, both India and Malaysia — neither of them has qualified for the Champions Trophy — have offered to stage the event in case the FIH chooses to shift the venue from Lahore giving into the claims of teams on the security situation in Pakistan in the wake of the wave of violence.

Strong protest

Predictably, the Pakistan Hockey Federation has lodged a strong protest with the FIH for Australia staying away from the tournament for the second time attributing security threat for the team.

The PHF President, Zafarullah Khan Jamali, has termed Australia’s action as a complex to avoiding a defeat against Pakistan in the tournament.

Reports in the Pakistani media have rightly questioned how the cricket teams (Under-19 and A teams from Australia) have agreed to tour various parts of the country while the hockey team alone trots out security, or the presumed lack of it, as the point to refuse participation.

It may be recalled that Australia, the Olympic champion in 2004 withdrew from the event months after the Athens Olympics expressing concern over the security aspect citing the travel advisory of the Australian Government.

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