Pakistan withdraw junior hockey team from World Cup in India

Pakistan has withdrawn from the Junior Hockey World Cup scheduled to be held in India later this year, PTI reported, citing a statement from the International Hockey Federation (FIH).

The FIH said a replacement team for Pakistan will be announced shortly for the tournament held from November 28 to December 10 in Chennai and Madurai.

"We can confirm that the Pakistan Hockey Federation has notified the International Hockey Federation (FIH) that its team initially qualified for the upcoming FIH Hockey Men's Junior World Cup Tamil Nadu 2025 won't participate eventually," according to the statement released to PTI. "The team replacing Pakistan for this event will be announced soon," the statement added.

Pakistan were placed in Group B alongside India, Chile, and Switzerland, and it remains to be seen which team replaces them. This is the second event in India that Pakistan has pulled out from after the men's Asia Cup in Rajgir, Bihar, held from August 29 to September 7 this year.

Hockey India, however, said it has no clue about Pakistan's withdrawal. "We have no information from FIH that Pakistan has withdrawn. I had a conversation with Pakistan Hockey Federation officials a month-and-a half-back, and they had confirmed their participation," HI secretary general Bholanth Singh told PTI.

"What transpired after that, I have no knowledge. Our duty is to conduct the best tournament as hosts and hope India wins the title. It is now upto FIH to announce a replacement for Pakistan," he added. 

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has expressed willingness to compete in the tournament at a neutral venue. 

"We have told the FIH how they expect us to go and play in India when their athletes are not even willing to shake hands in different sports, even at neutral venues. FIH says all the events were awarded to India well before the conflict so no one anticipated such a situation," Mujahid said, referring to the recent Asia Cup Cricket event, when Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav had refused to shake hands with his Pakistan counterpart.

The sporting ties between India and Pakistan have deteriorated since the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and India's subsequent Operation Sindoor.

The Indian government recently announced a new policy under which it will not engage in bilateral sporting contests with Pakistan but will continue to compete against them in multi-nation tournaments.