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AFP/File
The Pakistan Hockey Federation said Wednesday that the national team will not tour India for the Asian Champions Trophy, citing security concerns and calling for the event to be moved to a "safer" country.
Why is Pakistan skipping the Asian Champions Trophy in India?
Pakistan Hockey Federation president Mohyuddin Wani said sending players to India was not advisable given the sensitive situation between the two countries. He said the federation has formally asked the Asian Hockey Federation to relocate the tournament to a safer venue instead.
Pakistan and five other nations were due to compete in the Asian Champions Trophy from October 27 to November 5 in Mohali and Jalandhar, India. The Indian and Pakistani hockey teams have boycotted each other since New Delhi stalled bilateral sporting ties following the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which it blamed on militants based across the border.
How has India-Pakistan tension affected sports ties?
Nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan share deep distrust, and last year fought a four-day conflict triggered by an attack on tourists, mostly Hindus, in Kashmir. That hostility has repeatedly spilled into sport.
Pakistan also withdrew from last year's Asia Cup hockey event in India, citing security fears and border tension. The team last toured India for the 2023 Asian Champions Trophy, where it finished fifth among six teams.
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