Pakistani players are suffering for their “unacceptable' behaviour”: Sardar Singh

In the unveiling ceremony of the upcoming Hockey India League (HIL) 2016, the Indian captain backed the stand of Hockey India (HI) of not allowing players from Pakistan to take part in the cash-rich tournament, which features an array of hockey stars from around the world.

"Pakistani players are suffering a lot but what they did during the 2014 Champions Trophy was unacceptable. They still haven't apologised for their behaviour so I feel they shouldn't be allowed (to participate in HIL)," PTI quoted Sardar speaking on the sidelines of the unveiling of HIL on Thursday.

In the 2014 Champions Trophy semi-final match between the arch-rivals India and Pakistan in Bhubaneswar, Pakistan registered a 4-3 victory to move into the final, and excited Pakistan players took off their shirts and made rude gestures towards the Indian fans in the stadium after the final hooter. Two Pakistan players - Muhammad Tousiq and Ali Amjad – were handed one-match bans, while another player - Shafqat Rasool – was reprimanded by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) for making obscene gestures.

In the inaugural edition of HIL in 2013, nine players from Pakistan were part of the teams. However, they were forced to return back to their country after protests from political organisations. The last three editions have not seen any players from Pakistan as part of the tournament.

The fourth edition of HIL is all set to start on January 18, Monday with six teams vying for the coveted trophy.