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Cloud over Asia Cup hockey

Seven out of the ten participating countries, including defending champions South Korea, Malaysia and India, have expressed their inability to play in the Asia Cup hockey tournament in Lahore next month, according to Indian Hockey Federation secretary K Jothikumaran.

''We have recieved a circular from the AHF today in which seven out of the ten countries have said they are not prepared to go to Lahore in view of the political situation there. They are, however, ready to play outside Pakistan,'' Jothikumaran told Sportstime, TWI's daily sports news programme on DD's news channel.

"They cannot organise it, the decision will be made official in couple of days,'' the IHF secretary said.

The Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) has also sent a one-line questionaire to its members other than the participating countries for views on holding the Asia Cup in Lahore.

Jothikumaran said India will consider hosting the tournament if the AHF requests the IHF to stage the event. ''If we are offered, and if all the participants are willing, there's no problem. At this point we cannot decide; it is upto the AHF. We had offered right at the beginning, but the tournament was awarded to Lahore,'' he said.

The IHF secretary also expressed concern about the safety of Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) president Akhtar Rasool, who has been detained by the army regime which overthrew the Muslim League government last week.

Meanwhile, PHF secretary Col Mudassar Asghar has slammed the AHF for its move to seek availability of the teams for the Asia Cup through a questionnaire.

''It's uncalled for, they have done a wrong thing. When we have pledged every kind of security, then they should not have done this. We have already expressed our grievances to the AHF,'' Col Mudassar told Sportstime on phone from Lahore.

Col Mudassar asserted that there is no problem in Pakistan and ''things are as peaceful as before".

''In fact we are having an international squash tournament in Lahore in which some top players from Australia are playing. We will provide every kind of security to the players. We are ready to hold the Asia Cup,'' Col Mudassar said.

He said he will be contacting each participating country on phone by tomorrow to convince them about ''their safety and security".

The PHF secretary said his president is safe. ''Nobody from the past government has any problem yet; only a handful of them who were involved in the incidents leading up to the military rule. There are so many Muslim League leaders in Pakistan, they have no problem. The same holds good for Mr Rasool,'' Col Mudassar said.

Col Mudassar was non-comital on whether Pakistan will play the Asia Cup if it is moved out of Lahore. ''We''ll decide then. For the moment we have not thought on those lines,'' he said.

The PHF secretary expressed the hope that the annual Indo-Pak hockey series will not be affected in view of the recent developments and the skirmishes along the border. ''We hope to speak to the IHF during the Asia Cup. Though it is not possible for us to play in the first half of the next year due to our engagements, we can play in the latter half,'' Col Mudassar said.

His Indian counterpart also concurred with the views. ''Sporting ties should be maintained between our two countries. It took Mr Gill a few minutes to revive the annual series after a gap of 12 years,'' Jothikumaran said.

UNI