Hockey was never part of 13th SAG: POA

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Olympic Association has said that hockey was never a part of the 13th South Asian Games, as claimed by the PHF.

POA Secretary Mohammad Khalid Mahmood said: “Hockey was never part of the Nepal SAG starting on December 1, 2019. We have been trying to include hockey and beach handball in the mega event but have not met success yet.”

As many as 27 events will be contested in the 10-day South Asian Games.

Khalid said the POA had recently written to the organisers with a request to include hockey in the Games.

The letter said: “You will kindly agree that discipline of hockey was a regular feature of South Asian Games in previous editions. Hockey competitions are regularly played at Olympics and continental level and it is the most popular sport amongst the masses of this region. It is therefore requested that the event of men hockey may kindly be considered and included in the 13th Chapter of South Asian Games. The support of all SAOC NOCs is also requested.”

Pakistan won the gold medal in the last SAG hockey tournament in India. It is believed that Nepal is reluctant to include hockey in the Games due to lack of infrastructure.