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India Today
4 hours ago
- Sport
- India Today
Pakistan hockey to seek Asia Cup relocation if India fails to assure visas: Report
The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has said it will seek the relocation of the upcoming Asia Cup from India if visas are not guaranteed for its national team. The continental tournament is scheduled to be held in India between late August and early September, with the winner earning a direct qualification spot for next year's World Cup in Europe.A PHF spokesperson said the federation would consider sending its team to the tournament only if the Asian Hockey Federation and local organisers provided written assurance of visa issuance.'Despite the strained relations between both countries if visas are guaranteed we will approach our government for clearance to play in India,' he said.'Whatever directions are given by our government we will follow them but Pakistan's policy has always been to keep sports and politics apart.'The comments come in the backdrop of heightened political tensions between the two nations, which came close to a full-grown war early this month. The PHF also raised concerns over player security, saying it was the responsibility of the host nation to ensure the safety of all participating which has not qualified for the last two Olympic Games and missed out on the previous Hockey World Cup, is looking to rebuild its standing in the Watch advertisement


NDTV
4 hours ago
- Sport
- NDTV
Pakistan Hockey Federation's Massive Warning To India, Threatens To Seek Asia Cup Relocation If...
The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has said it will seek the relocation of the upcoming Asia Cup from India if visas are not guaranteed for its national team. The continental tournament is scheduled to be held in India between late August and early September, with the winner earning a direct qualification spot for next year's World Cup in Europe. A PHF spokesperson said the federation would consider sending its team to the tournament only if the Asian Hockey Federation and local organisers provided written assurance of visa issuance. "Despite the strained relations between both countries if visas are guaranteed we will approach our government for clearance to play in India," he said. "Whatever directions are given by our government we will follow them but Pakistan's policy has always been to keep sports and politics apart." The comments come in the backdrop of heightened political tensions between the two nations, which came close to a full-grown war early this month. The PHF also raised concerns over player security, saying it was the responsibility of the host nation to ensure the safety of all participating teams. Pakistan, which has not qualified for the last two Olympic Games and missed out on the previous Hockey World Cup, is looking to rebuild its standing in the sport. Listen to the latest songs, only on


Time of India
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Pakistan Hockey Federation threatens to seek Asia Cup relocation if India fails to assure visas
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has said it will seek the relocation of the upcoming Asia Cup from India if visas are not guaranteed for its national continental tournament is scheduled to be held in India between late August and early September, with the winner earning a direct qualification spot for next year's World Cup in Europe.A PHF spokesperson said the federation would consider sending its team to the tournament only if the Asian Hockey Federation and local organisers provided written assurance of visa issuance."Despite the strained relations between both countries if visas are guaranteed we will approach our government for clearance to play in India," he said."Whatever directions are given by our government we will follow them but Pakistan's policy has always been to keep sports and politics apart."The comments come in the backdrop of heightened political tensions between the two nations, which came close to a full-grown war early this PHF also raised concerns over player security, saying it was the responsibility of the host nation to ensure the safety of all participating which has not qualified for the last two Olympic Games and missed out on the previous Hockey World Cup, is looking to rebuild its standing in the sport.


Irish Daily Mirror
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Olympic champion wins medal with new partner at European Rowing Championship
Fintan McCarthy and Konan Pazzaia have won bronze for Ireland in the men's double sculls at the European Rowing Championships in Bulgaria. It's a first medal at heavyweight for Skibereen legend McCarthy, while for Queens University star Pazzaia, it's a first major medal. McCarthy has famously won gold medals for Ireland at Olympic Games alongside longtime rowing partner Paul O'Donovan, but with O'Donovan unavailable, Pazzaia stepped in and helped get the job done. Miroslaw Zietarski and Mateusz Biskup of Poland took home gold in Plovdiv, while Ireland's duo had to settle for third place in a time of 6.05.48 as they took home the bronze medal. For McCarthy, it is a first medal in the heavyweight class after years dominating the lightweight division with O'Donovan. The pair won gold in the lightweight double sculls at the 2024 and 2021 Olympic Games, and the duo also have three World and two European golds at lightweight.


Indian Express
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
Kunlavut Vitidsarn rises to the top: A new world No 1 in badminton men's singles as Thai shuttler reaches summit
There will be a new World No 1 in badminton as Thailand's Kunlavut Vitidsarn confirmed his rise to the summit of men's singles. After his semifinal win at the Singapore Open Super 750 on Saturday, the reigning world champion will also become the world No 1 when the BWF rankings are updated on Tuesday. Vitidsarn overcame Lin Chun Yi in a near one-hour clash 21-11, 25-23 to set up a rematch of the Asian Championships final against China's Lu Guang Zu. Irrespecitve of the result on Sunday, he has earned enough points to topple Shi Yu Qi, who was knocked out earlier in the week by Lu. Vitidsarn continues to be the flagbearer for that brilliant junior Class of 2018 that includes Li Shi Feng, Kodai Naraoka and India's Lakshya Sen. The Thailand pioneer has won Olympic Games silver (losing to Viktor Axelsen last year in Paris), the World Championships gold & silver, the Asian Championships gold and now climbing to the top of the world ladder. The four men on the podium of the 2018 BWF World Junior Championships were: Kunlavut Vitidsarn (gold), Kodai Naraoka (silver), Lakshya Sen and Li Shi Feng (bronze). Lakshya and Li Shi Feng played the final of the Youth Olympic Games that year, with the Indian winning silver. And at the Asian Championships, Lakshya won gold while Vitidsarn won silver. Axelsen had good things to say about Vitidsarn after their battle in the World Championships final in 2022. 'Vitidsarn's a great guy, he's strong mentally and physically,' Axelsen said after his run to gold in Tokyo. 'I knew it would be a tough game. I'm happy with the way I responded to his gameplan in the second. He made it hard for me and I stiffened up a little bit, but I turned it around again. He's a cool guy, on and off the court. He's 21, and we've already played a few matches against each other, and also in other finals. I think there's many good things for him to come. Hopefully we can have many good matches in future.' Vitidsarn is no stranger to firsts. He won the Junior World Championships thrice, the first male shuttler to do so in singles. And at the Asian Championships earlier this year he became the first Thai men's singles champion in 63 years. And having achieved plenty in his career already, Vitidsarn set his sights on All England, where he is yet to taste success. 'I've won the Asian Youth Championship before, and to be able to win in the elite level is really very happy and very meaningful,' Vitidsarn had told BWF after his triumph in Ningbo. My next goal is to win the All England. I've won the World Championships and won a silver medal in the Olympics, but I've finished early at several All Englands so I hope to improve my performances at the All England Open next year.'