Indian hockey team could go to Pakistan for Olympic qualifier, says Dilip Tirkey
Dilip Tirkey, the president of Hockey India, has stated that if the men's national team does not win gold in the next Hangzhou Asian Games, which begin on September 23, it would compete in qualifiers in Pakistan. Asian Games winners will get a direct entry to the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“We will be trying to get the job done in Hangzhou. But, if for some reason, we fail to qualify, then there are a couple of venues that have been identified for the qualifiers – Pakistan and Spain. So, wherever it happens, we will definitely go,” he stated in a media interview on Wednesday.
Government approval is required for travel to Pakistan, and it remains to be seen how the centre would react if the national hockey team is required to travel there for the qualifiers. When asked if participating in the Asian Champions Trophy just weeks before travelling to China put the players at danger for injury, Tirkey said that injuries may occur during practise or exhibition games as well.
“The most important thing to note is that we play practice matches before every major event. Don’t we have the fear of getting injured then? So, I think we should take this event on a positive note as a medium of preparation, and it is also a competitive event.”
“There is still quite some time, over a month, left for the preparations for the Asian Games. Injuries can happen even during practice matches. So, I don’t think we should be too bothered by it and focus on delivering our best here.”