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Interim PHF president
India Maintains Stance on Hosting Duties
The tournament is scheduled to take place in the Indian cities of Mohali and Jalandhar from October 27 to November 5. When questioned regarding the potential for Pakistan's withdrawal, Mr. Singh indicated that contingency plans are in place, noting that teams from Bangladesh and Oman are available to serve as replacements should the need arise.
Conflicting Reports on Government Clearance
The request for a neutral venue follows uncertainty regarding the Pakistan team's travel clearance. While Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had previously confirmed Pakistan’s participation, suggesting that national sports policy permits the team to compete in multinational events, a senior PHF official later indicated that the government had not yet granted the necessary clearance for the team to travel.
Pakistan has previously withdrawn from international hockey events hosted in India, including the FIH Junior World Cup in Tamil Nadu and the Asia Cup, citing similar security concerns. The current edition of the Asian Champions Trophy is set to feature India, Pakistan, Malaysia, China, Japan, and Korea. As of now, the AHF has not issued a formal response to the PHF's request for relocation.
