Key points
- Extremists are openly threatening Pakistan hockey team: Official
- 2025 Men’s Hockey Asia Cup will go ahead in India
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has officially decided not to send its national hockey team to India for the upcoming 2025 Men’s Hockey Asia Cup, citing escalating security concerns and mounting hostility from Indian quarters.
Government sources confirmed the decision on Friday, saying that while Pakistan has long advocated for the separation of sports and politics, the prevailing environment makes it impossible to ensure the safety and dignity of its athletes on Indian soil.
“Pakistan has always kept politics away from sports. However, India has always linked sports with politics,” the sources stated, referencing the increasingly aggressive tone adopted by Indian media and far-right elements.
Threats overshadow tournament
The announcement follows a wave of social media threats and online abuse directed at the Pakistani hockey team, including explicit warnings from extremist groups, many of which have gone unchecked by Indian authorities. The threats have created a chilling effect, leading to serious deliberations within Islamabad’s sports and security circles.
“The extremists are openly threatening the Pakistan hockey team via social media accounts,” sources revealed. “The safety of our players is non-negotiable, and under the current circumstances, we cannot take that risk.”
The decision to withdraw was not taken lightly. Pakistan’s hockey team, once a powerhouse on the global stage, has recently shown signs of resurgence and was seen as a strong contender for the Asia Cup. Yet, officials insisted that the environment in India was “hostile and unpredictable.”
Political undercurrents
This latest setback marks yet another flashpoint in the frosty sporting relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. Cross-border tensions — political, military, and cultural — have routinely spilled over into the sports arena, with cricket and hockey bearing the brunt.
India’s refusal to allow Pakistani athletes to participate in certain events in recent years — including visa denials and administrative delays — has only added to the mistrust.
“The players cannot be sent to India due to the ongoing tensions and security concerns,” the statement emphasised. “We believe in the spirit of sportsmanship, but that spirit cannot thrive in an atmosphere of fear.”
Broader wake-up call
For fans and athletes alike, the decision is a bitter pill. The Hockey Asia Cup has historically been a stage for intense, high-calibre contests, especially between arch-rivals India and Pakistan. Their absence not only diminishes the competitive appeal of the tournament but also reflects the deepening rift between the two nations beyond diplomacy.
Officials in Pakistan have called on the Asian Hockey Federation and international sporting bodies to take note of the deteriorating environment for cross-border sports and to uphold the principles of fair play and equal opportunity for all participating nations.
As it stands, the 2025 Men’s Hockey Asia Cup will go ahead in India, but without one of its most storied teams. For Pakistan, the withdrawal is a stand not just for safety, but for dignity — a signal that sport, while ideally apolitical, cannot exist in a vacuum of threats and hostility.
