Indoor hockey in Pakistan from next year: Qasim Zia
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) will start indoor hockey in the country from next year to provide an opportunity to its players to get practice during the off-season, PHF President, Qasim Zia said Tuesday.
“We have a plan to introduce indoor hockey after the London 2012 Olympics. Hard surface courts can be arranged and that is the starting point for deciding on indoor hockey,” he told The Sports Encounter correspondent on the sidelines of a ceremony organized by Rawalpindi Islamabad Sports Journalists Association (RISJA) in honour of its new council members.
Qasim Zia said that indoor hockey was an excellent way of playing and promoting the sport. He said that hockey in Pakistan was on right track and it would soon regain its lost status. “We have set some certain goals and the time is not far when Pakistan will be again among the best world sides,” he said.
He said that Pakistan would send a strong outfit for London Olympics and try its best to win the event. He said the PHF had announced 25 probables for the preparation of three-nation hockey tournament in Australia followed by Champion Trophy in New Zealand to be played in December. The final squad for London Olympics will be finalized after watching the players’ performance in these events, he said.
To a question about the inclusion of senior players in the team for London Olympics, he said that it was part of federation’s policy to provide ample opportunities to each and every player to become part of the national team.
“Irrespective of their age, if they (players) maintain required level of fitness to compete at the international level they will not be dropped from the team”, he added.
He said a number of young players were selected in squad for inaugural Asian Champions Trophy to provide them exposure and experience at the international level as they are country’s future.
He said Sohail Abbas was included in the squad keeping in view his specialty in penalty corners but added that the player never performed in big matches.
To another question, he said that Pakistan played excellent game in the Asian Hockey Championship but unfortunately could not clinch the title. In the final Pakistani players played good hockey than Indians but it was bad luck that they could not win, he said.
The PHF President said that Pakistan never adopted European style of hockey, however it adapted changes that took place in the game from time to time. He appreciated RISJA’s efforts for promoting the national game and announced to grant Rs. 100,000 to it.
Qasim Zia said that the talks are underway with India for hockey series between the two countries.
He said the reporters that Pakistani High Commissioner at New Delhi, Shahid Malik was trying to revive hockey series between India and Pakistan and soon the people would hear good news regarding this.
He said that the Federation wass working for the promotion of the game and Chinese hockey team would visit Pakistan during current calendar year. He was of the view that the young players would get an opportunity to show good performance during the tours of foreign hockey teams to Pakistan.
The PHF President said that the Pakistani team is preparing for the Olympics games, for which team would be selected from the lot of 25 players, which are the part of the national team currently. He said that the selection of the team is the responsibility of selection committee that realizes better that which player was in his best form.
The former Olympian was of the view that the defeat as well as victory is the part of the game but team is showing better performance. He said that indoor hockey would be launched in the country after Olympics games.
“PHF is facing financial crises and I would call on Prime Minister regarding release of money which was given to players as award. In this connection federation also talked to Pakistan Sports Board. He said that a new Astroturf would be laid down at Lahore before December. The project is being financed by Punjab government.
Qasim Zia
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