New Zealand confirm entry, Pak withdraw

The ad-hoc committee for Indian hockey said on Friday that New Zealand had confirmed their participation in the Punjab Gold Cup hockey tournament...

The ad-hoc committee for Indian hockey said on Friday that New Zealand had confirmed their participation in the Punjab Gold Cup hockey tournament to be held in Chandigarh from January 31.

Co-convenor of ad-hoc committee Rajiv Mehta said that they have had a communication late Thursday from Hockey New Zealand, saying they would be more than willing to send their national team for the four-nation event. “New Zealand has confirmed their participation in the Punjab Gold Cup and they have already sent their team list,” Mehta said.

The 22-member Kiwi team including four officials will reach here on January 29 en route to Chandigarh.

The ad-hoc committee insists they took the decision because Pakistan neither conveyed their willingness nor their inability to participate in the event. “We didn’t get any official confirmation from Pakistan,” ad-hoc committee media adviser Anupam Gulati said.

Pakistan calls off tours

Later Friday, Pakistan decided not to send its hockey and squash teams to India citing security concerns for players. The Pakistan hockey team were supposed to take part in the four-nation Punjab Gold Cup, scheduled to start in Chandigarh from January 31, while the squash team were to defend their Asian Junior title in Chennai. The tournament starts January 16.

“The hockey and squash federations had applied for clearance to travel to India which we have not given as we have security concerns for our sportsmen and women in India,” Pakistan sports minister Aftab Shah Jillani said.

He said due to the existing tension between the two countries, the ministry thought it prudent not to send the teams to India. “Until the relations and conditions improve between the two countries we don’t think it is wise to send our teams there. They are security threats,” Jillani said.

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However, sports secretary Ashraf Khan said the decision does not mean out that Pakistan has suspended sporting ties with India. “I wouldn’t say we have suspended sporting ties with India. We are willing to play India in any sport at a neutral venue,” Khan said.

“Our only concern at this stage was that they were genuine apprehensions about the security of our players if they went to India given the conditions in the region. But it is not a suspension of sporting ties,” Khan insisted.