By Xinhua
Islamabad : The world governing body for field hockey, FIH, has decided to change the venue of this year’s Champions Trophy away from Pakistan with extreme reluctance, local Pakistani newspaper The Nation reported Friday, quoting FIH president Els van Breda Vriesman.
With the world’s top hockey nations reluctant to travel to Pakistan due to security concerns, FIH was forced to change the venue of the event, scheduled to take place in Lahore Dec 1-9.
Australia, South Korea and Spain had all declined to send their teams to Pakistan.
“During the last few months we tried everything we could to keep the Samsung Champions Trophy in Pakistan,” Vriesman said. “It was an extremely hard decision and one that we took with many regrets for the Pakistan hockey community.”
The decision was based on the concern about the safety and security of the participating teams and the negative travel advice received from the foreign affairs departments of many of the prospective participants, a statement posted on the website of FIH Wednesday said.
“We are really disappointed over the decision as it is not based on solid reason,” Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) secretary Khalid Mahmood said.
“It’s all a matter of money. One of the Australian officials said to me that if you paid the Australian players they would play even in Iraq,” Khalid said.
Pakistan’s hockey officials and former international players appealed to the FIH to review its decision.
Former Olympian Shehnaz Shaikh felt it was crucial to the interests of Pakistan hockey and even the Asian hockey community that the tournament in played in Lahore.
PHF has decided in principle to write to FIH for compensation of the financial losses it suffered due to the change of the venue of the event, according to The Nation report.
The National Hockey Stadium in Lahore had already been upgraded with a new turf, floodlights and giant replay screen. Besides, PHF aimed to earn around 600 million rupees ($10 million approximately) in sponsorships and television rights.
Aside from the compensation request, PHF is also considering lodging a protest with FIH saying Pakistan hockey team would not be keen to participate in events organised in Australia.
A PHF official said on condition of anonymity that security was the issue of the whole world and they had to consider the security of Pakistani players before taking part in any foreign events.
“I will also hold FIH responsible for bowing down to some countries and it will set a bad trend because no country will be sure on hosting rights,” the official said.
A PHF official said that the federation was planning to host the teams qualified for the Beijing Olympics.
“It would give the Beijing participating teams practice before the Olympics and would also compensate the PHF for the losses it suffered for shifting of the Champions Trophy,” the official said.
Pakistan has already hosted six Champions Trophy tournaments in addition to the 1990 hockey World Cup, The Nation said.