FIH decision to help Pak hockey

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s hockey got a new lease of life following International Hockey Federation’s (FIH) decision to allow the Greenshirts to compete for a place in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Furthermore, the FIH Disciplinary Commission’s decision to reduce the fine is expected to generate fresh hockey activities at the domestic level. The commission’s decision to divert half of the remaining amount of fine on the sport’s promotion in Pakistan has provided the PHF an opportunity to work for hockey’s promotion at the grassroots level.

In fact, the amount expected to be around Rs5 million can help generate activities at the town and district levels provided the provincial and federal governments show interest in helping restart hockey activities.

Hockey has long been waiting for the government’s involvement in its promotion at school and club levels. It is hoped that the FIH Commission’s decision will be a wake-up call for the provincial governments, which are supposed to work for the sports’ uplift at educational institutions. Following the devolution of the sports ministry to provinces, their responsibility has become even bigger.

The PHF in its hand out following the FIH’s decision said that Pakistan has reached an agreement with the FIH according to which the former Olympic and world champions have been allowed to compete for a place in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

At the same time, the fine imposed on Pakistan for pulling out of FIH Pro League has been reduced to considerable level.