Zafar Iqbal pitches for Pakistan players in Hockey India League | Hockey News – Times of India
NEW DELHI: Indian hockey legend Zafar Iqbal on Thursday advocated for Pakistani players to be permitted to participate in the revived Hockey India League (HIL) after a hiatus of seven years.
The HIL is scheduled to make a comeback in a revamped form either next year or in early 2025, as Hockey India aims to revive the franchise-based league. Previously suspended in 2017 due to financial challenges and lack of cooperation from team owners, the HIL is anticipated to take place after the Paris Olympics and will introduce a women’s event for the first time.
Zafar, a distinguished member of the 1980 Moscow Olympics gold medal-winning hockey team, expressed his views during the unveiling of the prestigious Asian Champions Trophy (scheduled for August 3-12 in Chennai) at the Major Dhyanchand National Stadium. He suggested that reviving the India-Pakistan hockey Test series, which was conducted on a home-and-away basis until 2006, would also be beneficial.
Hockey India has formally requested a window from the International Hockey Federation (FIH) to organize the HIL next year and is presently awaiting a response from the global governing body.
Asked, when a fresh beginning was being made, shouldn’t Pakistan players be allowed in HIL, Zafar said, “Yes. I think, in sports, there should not be any politics.”
Nine Pakistani players were part of the first edition of HIL in 2013 but had to leave the country before the start of the tournament following protests from a few political organisations. But after that, no Pakistan player was included till the tournament was discontinued in 2017.
Asked if the traditional India-Pakistan hockey Tests should also be revived, he said, “I think so because there is hardly anything (differences among players). This is the political issue.
“How far I am true or not but the fact is that in sports we should not differentiate,” said the 67-year-old hockey great, who was also a member of the two silver medal-winning sides at the Asian Games in 1978 Bangkok and 1982 Delhi.
Asked if he was all for Pakistan players to come to India, he said: “Yes, because people of our country also want to see how they are playing and how they compare with our team. Because, after all, Pakistan was a part of India before, no doubt about it.”
Zafar also said that Indian hockey players should also play in Pakistan.
“I am sure they (Pakistan players) should be invited; they should play here and we should play there also. That barrier should not be (there), but (again) I do not know about the political situation. It depends on the Government of India how it it takes it, but as far as players are concerned there should be no barriers,” he added.
Hockey India president and the senior team’s former skipper Dilip Tirkey, when asked if his federation will open the doors for Pakistan players in HIL, said, “We will discuss the issue. Our committee will deliberate and decide on it.”
Asked for his personal opinion, he said, “There are lot of things which (need to be sorted)”.
INDIA HAVE A BETTER TEAM
Zafar said the Asian Champions Trophy in Chennai, scheduled to commence on August 3, will provide a good chance for both India and Pakistan to display their flair and technique.
Six teams — Korea, Malaysia, Japan, Pakistan, China and the hosts — will be competing for the prestigious continental title and Zafar said India had a better team.
“It will be a good chance for them (Pakistan) if we are allowing them to play here in ACT. I’m sure they will come here and play their game and we will ours. But we have a better team. No doubt about (the Indian) side, we have a strong team,” added Zafar.
PAKISTAN PLAYERS TO BE GET VISAS
Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, who was present at the function and unveiled the ACT, when asked if India would grant visas to Pakistan players to compte in the Asian Champions Trophy, said, “Whenever multi-national tournament takes place, be it the World Cups, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, World Championships etc, the government gives visas to all participating countries.”
The HIL is scheduled to make a comeback in a revamped form either next year or in early 2025, as Hockey India aims to revive the franchise-based league. Previously suspended in 2017 due to financial challenges and lack of cooperation from team owners, the HIL is anticipated to take place after the Paris Olympics and will introduce a women’s event for the first time.
Zafar, a distinguished member of the 1980 Moscow Olympics gold medal-winning hockey team, expressed his views during the unveiling of the prestigious Asian Champions Trophy (scheduled for August 3-12 in Chennai) at the Major Dhyanchand National Stadium. He suggested that reviving the India-Pakistan hockey Test series, which was conducted on a home-and-away basis until 2006, would also be beneficial.
Hockey India has formally requested a window from the International Hockey Federation (FIH) to organize the HIL next year and is presently awaiting a response from the global governing body.
Asked, when a fresh beginning was being made, shouldn’t Pakistan players be allowed in HIL, Zafar said, “Yes. I think, in sports, there should not be any politics.”
Nine Pakistani players were part of the first edition of HIL in 2013 but had to leave the country before the start of the tournament following protests from a few political organisations. But after that, no Pakistan player was included till the tournament was discontinued in 2017.
Asked if the traditional India-Pakistan hockey Tests should also be revived, he said, “I think so because there is hardly anything (differences among players). This is the political issue.
“How far I am true or not but the fact is that in sports we should not differentiate,” said the 67-year-old hockey great, who was also a member of the two silver medal-winning sides at the Asian Games in 1978 Bangkok and 1982 Delhi.
Asked if he was all for Pakistan players to come to India, he said: “Yes, because people of our country also want to see how they are playing and how they compare with our team. Because, after all, Pakistan was a part of India before, no doubt about it.”
Zafar also said that Indian hockey players should also play in Pakistan.
“I am sure they (Pakistan players) should be invited; they should play here and we should play there also. That barrier should not be (there), but (again) I do not know about the political situation. It depends on the Government of India how it it takes it, but as far as players are concerned there should be no barriers,” he added.
Hockey India president and the senior team’s former skipper Dilip Tirkey, when asked if his federation will open the doors for Pakistan players in HIL, said, “We will discuss the issue. Our committee will deliberate and decide on it.”
Asked for his personal opinion, he said, “There are lot of things which (need to be sorted)”.
INDIA HAVE A BETTER TEAM
Zafar said the Asian Champions Trophy in Chennai, scheduled to commence on August 3, will provide a good chance for both India and Pakistan to display their flair and technique.
Six teams — Korea, Malaysia, Japan, Pakistan, China and the hosts — will be competing for the prestigious continental title and Zafar said India had a better team.
“It will be a good chance for them (Pakistan) if we are allowing them to play here in ACT. I’m sure they will come here and play their game and we will ours. But we have a better team. No doubt about (the Indian) side, we have a strong team,” added Zafar.
PAKISTAN PLAYERS TO BE GET VISAS
Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, who was present at the function and unveiled the ACT, when asked if India would grant visas to Pakistan players to compte in the Asian Champions Trophy, said, “Whenever multi-national tournament takes place, be it the World Cups, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, World Championships etc, the government gives visas to all participating countries.”
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