The Pakistan men's hockey teams will be allowed to travel to India for next month's Asia Cup and the Junior World Cup later this year, a Sports Ministry source confirmed on Thursday, stating that any attempt to block participation would contravene the Olympic Charter.
While bilateral sporting ties between India and Pakistan remain suspended, the government has made it clear that it will not stand in the way of Pakistan's participation in multinational events held in India. The Asia Cup is scheduled to take place in Rajgir, Bihar, from 27 August to 7 September, while the Junior World Cup is slated for Chennai and Madurai from 28 November to 10 December.
"We are not against any team competing in India in a multi-national competition. If we try to stop Pakistan, it would be seen as a violation of the Olympic Charter. But bilateral is different, and there will be no relaxation on that front," the ministry source said.
The Olympic Charter, which governs the Olympic movement, considers sport a medium for promoting peace and international cooperation. Denying participation to a country in a global or continental competition can attract serious scrutiny from international federations and may affect India's chances of hosting future events.
When asked if the clearance extended to the upcoming Asia Cup in cricket this September, where India and Pakistan are drawn in the same group, the source said, "The BCCI is yet to reach out to the ministry on this. We will address this query when they approach us."
India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral series in any sport for nearly two decades, and even multilateral encounters have come under pressure in the wake of strained political relations. Following the Pahalgam terror attack in April, where 26 Indian tourists lost their lives, tensions escalated further. India's retaliatory Operation Sindoor, which targeted terror infrastructure across the border, prompted a brief military standoff that only de-escalated after Pakistan sought a ceasefire.
"International sports demands that we cannot back out from competing in multi-national competitions. Take for instance, Russia and Ukraine-they are at war, yet they turn up for events and compete. The same principle applies here," the official added.
Hockey India (HI), which will host both tournaments, welcomed the decision.
"We welcome the government's decision. Our stance from the beginning was that whatever the government decides, we will abide by that. There is no other argument in that," said Bhola Nath Singh, HI secretary general.
HI had earlier reiterated that it would follow whatever directive the central government issued regarding Pakistan's participation.
Source: India Today