Despite calls within India to sever all ties with Pakistan amid recent geopolitical tensions, the sporting world is not seeing any real impact. India will host the men’s hockey Asia Cup and the Junior Hockey World Cup this year. The Indian government has begun the process of granting visas to the Pakistani hockey team to play in the two tournaments.
Indian media outlets say that if a particular team is not allowed to play, India would be at risk of being banned from world hockey. Besides, it would also create a negative situation for the Indian government’s plans to host the Commonwealth Games and the Olympic Games within the next decade. Yesterday, the Times of India reported that the Indian government has given internal approval for the participation of the Pakistani team in the Hockey Asia Cup in August and the Junior Hockey World Cup in November.
A source in the Sports Ministry said that the Indian Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs have initiated the process of issuing visas to Pakistani hockey players. The matter has been conveyed to the organizing federation, Hockey India (HI).
The media outlet reported that, “The decision was taken in accordance with the Olympic Charter, which states that sports should be kept out of politics. If India had not approved the participation of the Pakistani team in the two hockey tournaments, it would have faced punishment from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) authorities.”
The Hockey Asia Cup will be held in Rajgir, Bihar from August 27 to September 7. The Hockey Junior World Cup will be held in Madurai, Tamil Nadu from November 28 to December 10.