The Pakistan Olympic Association has decided to omit hockey and football, as well as a number of other outdoor sports, from the 31st National Games that are being held in Peshawar starting December 25. As a result, significant outrage has been expressed regarding the decision.
The National Games have been continually postponed over the past two years as a result of uncertain security conditions in the northwest providence. Now, the organizers of the National Games have omitted almost 12 sports, and effectively many more athletes, from this year’s event in an attempt to complete the Games in a shorter amount of time. However, the Pakistan Olympic Association is facing immense backlash as a result of this decision from both the Pakistan Hockey Federation and the sports community in general.
“It is a joke not to include hockey in the National Games,” said Pakistan Hockey Federation’s secretary, Asif Bajwa. “Already we are trying to keep the profile of the sport high in Pakistan and attempting to find new talents. But we are told that there will be no hockey in such a major event.
Bajwa also suggested that if security issues are such a concern of the Pakistan Olympic Association, to the point of being a reason for not including hockey in the National Games, that the games should simply be moved to another location.
“If they can’t hold the hockey event for any reason we can do it for them but it is unacceptable not to have the national sport in the National Games,” said Bajwa.
The issue is currently being discussed between the Pakistan Hockey Federation’s president, Qasim Zia, the Pakistani government, and Pakistan Sports Board.
“How can they exclude a popular sport like football?” asked Saleh Faisal Hayat, president of the Pakistan Football Federation. “Then what is the purpose of having National Games?”
According to sources, the Pakistan Olympic Association decided to reduce the number of games and athletes included at the National Games out of concern of having such a large number of people in Peshawar, a location vulnerable to terrorist attacks.
“Basically the problem is the security situation in the province,” said one source.
