Pakistan, South Korea doubtful for Afro-Asian Games

The participation of Pakistan and South Korea in the first Afro-Asian Games to be held in New Delhi later this year is in doubt, Indian field hockey authorities said on Monday.

The Games are scheduled from November 3 to 11, but the two field hockey teams are due to play in the six-nation Champions Trophy tournament over the same period in Lahore.

"It is too early to say. We are in touch with people concerned," Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) president, K.P.S. Gill told Reuters.

Indian hockey officials have contacted the Asian and world governing bodies to try to get the dates of the Champions Trophy changed, IHF secretary K.Jothikumaran said.

The Indian government cleared the Games on April 23, a week after it had said they would have to be postponed, blaming "ego clashes" among officials.

Indian hockey officials said they had not yet contacted their Pakistani counterparts about whether the team would take part, even if the Champions Trophy dates were changed.

Sporting links between the two neighbouring countries have been at a low because of the political dispute over the Himalayan province of Kashmir, but the hockey teams played each other in a tournament in Dhaka earlier this year.

The Indian hockey authorities met the federal sports minister Uma Bharti earlier on Monday to ensure full participation in the Afro-Asian games.

The New Delhi Games will include athletics, boxing, field hockey, shooting, soccer, swimming, tennis and weightlifting.

The top four African and leading three Asian countries, as well as hosts India, make up the participants in the Games.