The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) is planning to organise an international level hockey league at the Dubai based sport arena in 2011 besides holding a bilateral series against India to maintain the players’ fitness and preparation
for the 2012 London Olympics.
Secretary Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), Asif Bajwa has announced that they are keen to organise a hockey league in a bid to avoid complacence and to improve the players’ performance for the London Olympics. He further said
that they are in contact with the management of the Dubai Sport City in order to procure their state of the art hockey stadium.
Asif Bajwa stated that they are assorting the necessary procedures to finalize the arrangements of a world-level tournament, which would comprise both foreign players and local youngsters.
They are also considering three more locations other than Dubai including Singapore, Malaysia and Doha for organising this international hockey league prior to the 2012 London Games.
The Pakistan hockey team clinched a gold medal in the recently concluded Asiad, held at Guangzhou, winning a title in the Asian games after twenty years.
Explaining the rules of this proposed World PHF Super League, Secretary Asif Bajwa said that all the participating squads would be required to include six foreign-players from any hockey playing country in order to create balance
among the teams.
He further said, “The participation of foreigners will make the league more competitive and thrilling. The PHF is currently seeking ideas from several hockey playing countries and has requested to send their players for the World
PHF Hockey League.”
The arch-rival hockey teams of Pakistan and India who regularly toured one another but since stopped particularly after the Mumbai Attacks have decided to resume their tours. Asif Bajwa said that the PHF were also planning to organise
a hockey series against India and would float the idea to the concerned authorities in this regard.
Bajwa expressed hopes saying that the federations of Pakistan and India are interested to restore the suspended bilateral sports’ relations for the best interests of the games.
The PHF Secretary maintained that they are working hard to strengthen the roots of the sport and would continue it by forming new coaching centers besides updating the existing academies.
The Pakistan Hockey Federation though late in its move to revive hockey in the country has been motivated to do so after the recent victory in the Asian Games.
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