India sticks to boycott policy, skips Asian Taekwondo Open in Pakistan

India has stuck to its policy of not sending its athletes to Pakistan as it did not show any interest in fielding its taekwondo squad in the Combaxx 7th Asian Taekwondo Open Championships 2025 slated to be held at the Liaquat Gymnasium in Islamabad from February 14-20.

“India had registered but we did not receive their passports,” a senior official of Pakistan Taekwondo Federation (PTF) told Nukta.

India had also not featured in the fourth and fifth editions of this event which Pakistan had conducted.

Barring cricket, where India never bothers to come to Pakistan for any event, the neighboring nation also stopped its kabaddi and blind cricket teams recently from crossing the border.

Meanwhile foreign nations are set to arrive with Afghanistan to be the first to reach Islamabad tonight to feature in the 7th Asian Taekwondo Open Championship.

As many as 113 athletes in poomsae and over 400 fighters in Kyorugi from 22 nations will feature in the event. This is the third time in the last few years that Pakistan is set to host this G-2 event which will help senior fighters to claim ranking points which is crucial for their Olympics qualification process.

The official said that around 14 to 15 nations have confirmed their flights schedule while they hope most of the nations will be able to arrive for the important event.

In poomsae, athletes’ flux is not that high but in Kyorugi there will be a fierce competition in both senior and junior divisions.

In the junior division, 110 fighters will compete while 302 fighters are set to battle in senior division.

The nations which have confirmed their participation include: Oman (2 athletes), Iran (15 athletes), Palestine (7 athletes), Afghanistan (31 athletes), Saudi Arabia (29 athletes), Kazakhstan (6 athletes), Egypt (11 athletes), France (5 athletes), Great Britain (1 athlete), Morocco (2 athletes), Kenya (3 athletes), Mali (2 athletes), Portugal (1 athlete), UAE (3 athletes), Greece (1 athlete), Jordan (1 athlete),

Andorra (2 athletes), Canada (1 athlete), Iraq (1 athlete), Uzbekistan (5 athletes), Tajikistan (4 athletes) and Germany (3 athletes).

Hosts Pakistan will also field around 400 fighters including those from top national pool, departments and provinces.

The 6th Asian Open had been conducted in Indonesia last year. Pakistan had also hosted the fourth and fifth edition of this event.

“The main benefit of this event is that it is an open event and so all of our athletes are set to feature,” the official said.

“We have also kept junior categories in five weights and we hope we will get a few male and female athletes from this category who could serve the country in future,” the official said.

“There was visa issue of Palestine and Iran but they have got visas now,” the official said.

“It’s basically an event of poomsae and kyorugi. But in poomsae there is no bulk participation. There are a few athletes in poomsae from Afghanistan and Iran.”

“In kyorugi athletes get 20 ranking points. When Olympics are completed athletes ranking is made zero. Pakistan recently featured in Fujaira in a G-2 event and they have returned yesterday and now again they will feature in another G-2 event. And so ranking is developed in this way and then there is Grand Prix and other events and ranking is adjusted. Ultimately top six athletes directly qualify for Olympics and this is the system,” the official said.

Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) is backing the entire exercise and its hostels will also be utilized.

“We will be looking after Palestinian athletes as well as the Afghans. We are set to board them in guest houses,” the official said.

“Major and financially strong nations are managing their own accommodation,” the official was quick to add.

“The Asian Taekwondo Union (ATU) staff, its president and vice-president and other foreign delegates will also be facilitated by the federation. These are around 40 people,” the official said.

“The accommodation which we have managed is very close to the Pakistan Sports Complex and there will be no issue. We have planned to provide top security to the athletes,” the official said.

The official said that all Pakistan’s top fighters are in fine form ahead of the event.

“Our top players are in fine tune and we expect them to click at home. I saw their training yesterday. Both foreign coaches are here. The Director General of PSB Yasir Pirzada also visited yesterday and expressed satisfaction over the arrangements. He has advised his staff to back the enterprise at every cost,” the official said.