The Pakistan men’s hockey team is set to participate in two major international tournaments in India: the Asia Cup and the Junior World Cup. A source from the Sports Ministry confirmed that any attempts to prevent Pakistan from entering these competitions would violate the Olympic Charter, which promotes international cooperation through sport.
Despite the ongoing suspension of bilateral sporting ties between the two nations, the Indian government has stated that it will not hinder Pakistan’s involvement in multinational events hosted within its borders. The Asia Cup will take place in Rajgir, Bihar, from August 27 to September 7, while the Junior World Cup is scheduled for Chennai and Madurai from November 28 to December 10.
The ministry’s source emphasized that the stance is to facilitate international competition. “We are not against any team competing in India in a multi-national competition. If we try to stop Pakistan, it could be viewed as a violation of the Olympic Charter. Bilateral engagements are a separate issue, and there will be no relaxation there,” the source explained.
The Olympic Charter underscores the role of sport in fostering peace and cooperation among nations. Preventing a country from participating in global or continental competitions can draw scrutiny from international governing bodies and may impact India’s eligibility to host future sporting events.
In a related query regarding the Asia Cup in cricket, where India and Pakistan are in the same group, the ministry stated that they had yet to receive an inquiry from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on this matter.
India and Pakistan, whose sporting interactions have been strained for nearly two decades, have faced increased tensions after a terrorist attack in Pahalgam in April resulted in the loss of 26 Indian lives. Following this incident, India implemented Operation Sindoor, targeting terror infrastructure across the border, resulting in a brief military standoff that calmed only when Pakistan sought a ceasefire.
The official also noted that the nature of international sports necessitates participation in multinational competitions, drawing comparisons to the presence of both Russia and Ukraine at sporting events despite their ongoing conflict. “The same principle applies here,” the official added.
Hockey India, tasked with hosting both tournaments, has welcomed the government’s decision, reinforcing its commitment to uphold whatever directives come from the central government regarding Pakistan’s participation. “Our stance from the beginning was that whatever the government decides, we will abide by that,” stated Bhola Nath Singh, the secretary general of Hockey India.
The organization had previously assured compliance with whatever directives were given concerning the participation of the Pakistan team.
