Pakistan has withdrawn from the 2025 Junior Hockey World Cup scheduled in India, citing strained relations between the two nations. The Pakistan Hockey Federation has requested the International Hockey Federation (FIH) to hold the tournament at a neutral venue, even as Hockey India awaits official confirmation of the withdrawal. (Image Credit: The Bridge)
Pakistan has made an official withdrawal from the 2025 Junior Hockey World Cup, to be hosted by Chennai and Madurai in India from November 28 to December 28. The decision was confirmed by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) on Friday, and it added that a new team for Pakistan will be revealed shortly.
We can assure that Pakistan Hockey Federation has informed the International Hockey Federation (FIH) that its squad initially qualified for the next FIH Hockey Men's Junior World Cup Tamil Nadu 2025 won't be playing in the end," the federation has said in a statement.
Pakistan was placed in Group B with India, Chile, and Switzerland, and now it remains to be seen which team will replace them in the event.
It is the second top sporting event in India from which Pakistan has pulled out within the last few months. Earlier, Pakistan had withdrawn from the Men's Asia Cup tournament held in Rajgir, Bihar, from August 29 to September 7 citing the same issues.
The sporting relations between the two countries have been under pressure since the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and India's follow-up Operation Sindoor. Retaliating, the Indian government issued a new policy disallowing bilateral sporting interactions with Pakistan while still permitting involvement in multinational competitions.
During the recent Asia Cup, tensions were evident when India captain Suryakumar Yadav allegedly declined to shake hands with his Pakistani counterpart, in a reflection of the current diplomatic coldness between both sides.
Hockey India (HI) stated that it has received no official word on the issue from FIH, even though reports emerged of Pakistan's withdrawal.
We have no word from FIH that Pakistan has backed out. I spoke with Pakistan Hockey Federation authorities a month and a half ago, and they had assured us of participation," HI Secretary General Bholanth Singh stated.
He further added, "Our responsibility is to organize the best tournament as a host and wish India to win the title. Now it's FIH's turn to name a substitute for Pakistan.
Curiously, even as FIH confirmed that Pakistan had withdrawn, the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) said it was ready to play a neutral ground.
PHF Secretary General Rana Mujahid, while speaking in Lahore, said the decision not to send the junior team to India was taken keeping in view the prevailing political tensions, but the federation had requested FIH to explore an alternative solution.
We have asked the FIH to organize a neutral venue so our players don't miss important international exposure," Mujahid added. "Missing out on big tournaments because they're staged in India is detrimental to our hockey and restricting our players' development.
He also said, "How can we play in India when their sportsmen themselves do not want to shake hands at neutral locations? FIH says these matches were given to India prior to the conflict, hence no one expected this."
