The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has withdrawn the hosting rights for the Men’s FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifier tournament from Pakistan, ending the country’s hopes of hosting international hockey events after more than two decades. The surprise decision, which came on Tuesday, was confirmed by the FIH to Sportstar.
The FIH cited recent governance developments within the Pakistan Hockey Federation as the primary reason for the withdrawal. While a new host for the tournament will be announced shortly, this setback deals a blow to Pakistan’s aspirations of regaining its position on the international hockey stage.
Pakistan last hosted an FIH event in 2004 and has faced challenges in returning to the global arena since then. The decision to host the qualifiers in Pakistan had faced criticism from various quarters, leading to concerns about India’s potential travel there if needed.
With the event now withdrawn, Pakistan, currently ranked 15th in the world, will need to either win the Asian Games or await confirmation of a spot in qualifiers hosted elsewhere. Pakistan has failed to qualify for the last two editions of the Olympics, and this setback adds further uncertainty to their Olympic qualification prospects.
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