NEW DELHI: The International Hockey Federation (FIH) is keen to see the revival of bilateral hockey matches between India and Pakistan, according to FIH president Tayyab Ikram. He emphasized that such a series would be beneficial for both countries and the sport globally.
“For us, given a choice, we want to start tomorrow with a bilateral hockey series between India and Pakistan. It is good for both India and Pakistan, and world hockey," Ikram told PTI in an exclusive interview.
The last bilateral hockey series between the two neighbors was held in 2006, with Pakistan emerging victorious. Since then, the teams have only competed in international events due to political tensions.
Ikram highlighted the challenges faced by Pakistan’s hockey team, pointing out that financial resources are crucial for the team’s success.
“I don’t see Pakistan hockey has downgraded, it is all about lack of resources. I feel for the players. They are a strong team but today, without a strong financial model, you cannot have high performance structure,” he said.
India remains a significant partner for the FIH, both in terms of sponsorships and hosting events. The Junior World Cup is already scheduled to be hosted by India next year, and discussions for future events are ongoing.
The FIH has also allocated a window for the revival of the Hockey India League (HIL), from the last week of December to the first week of February.
Ikram indicated that Hockey 5s, a smaller format of the game, is helping to involve more countries in hockey, although the traditional 11-a-side format remains the primary focus, especially for the Olympic Games.
Ikram asserted that hockey remains a stable sport within the Olympic movement and stressed the importance of supporting smaller member nations to strengthen the sport globally.
“That is our first priority, to engage and empower the smaller nations because with them, we can be a bigger and stronger federation," Ikram said.
