Redraw as India stay out

19/03/2003

THE Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) have resigned to the fact that India
will not change their minds, and have drawn up new fixtures for the Azlan
Shah Cup which begins in Ipoh on Saturday.
The Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) sent a fax to MHF on Monday saying
that their government has not given them permission to travel to Malaysia,
and the MHF officials did not comment on what brought about the sudden
change.
But newspapers in India, quoting a release from the IHF blamed it on:
"Recent developments concerning harassment of Indian IT professionals in
Malaysia."
The Hindu said: "Sources in the Ministry of External Affairs said that
the decision was part of the approach the Indian Government had adopted
since the ill-treatment meted out to about 270 Indian IT professionals by
the Malaysian police."
The Hindu went on to say: "According to reports, the Indians were
rounded up, some of them were beaten up and their passports defaced. The
last-minute pull-out from the tournament (Azlan Shah Cup) was a way of
expressing the country's displeasure against such treatment," sources
said.
The MHF have been in contact with the IHF and the they are almost sure
that India will not be able to come.
"I do not want to speculate on the reason why India has withdrawn from
the Azlan Shah Cup, but we have closed our options because it is highly
unlikely that IHF will get the greenlight from their government to travel
to Malaysia in the next two days," said MHF secretary S. Satgunam.
MHF have re-drawn the tournament fixtures and submitted it to the
International Hockey Federation (FIH) for approval.
"We have sent the revised fixtures to FIH and have received their
approval," said Satgunam.
Even with five teams - Germany, Pakistan, New Zealand, South Korea and
Malaysia - the tournament will still be from Saturday to March 30.
"We (MHF) are very disappointed with the withdrawal but nothing can be
done about it. We will not invite another team because time for
preparations is too short and it would not be fair to the other teams,"
said Satgunam.
The MHF did the right thing by deleting India from the fixtures as the
Rediff reported that IHF president K.P.S Gill was already planning for an
alternative tournament for his team.
Rediff wrote: IHF chief K.P.S Gill said the decision was taken by the
External Affairs Ministry in consultation with the Sports Ministry.
"We respect the decision of the government. It is a policy decision
taken in the larger interest of the country. We totally agree with the
government. At the same time, we will request the government to arrange
for an alternative tournament for our team," K.P.S Gill was quoted.
REVISED FIXTURES: Saturday - Pakistan v New Zealand (6pm); Malaysia v
South Korea (8pm); Sunday: Germany v Pakistan (6pm).
March 24: New Zealand v Malaysia (6pm); South Korea v Germany (8pm);
March 25: REST DAY; March 26: New Zealand v South Korea (6pm); Pakistan v
Malaysia (8pm).
March 27: Malaysia v Germany (6pm); March 28: Germany v New Zealand
(6pm); South Korea v Pakistan (8pm); March 29: REST DAY.
March 30: Third-Fourth (3pm); Final 5.30pm.
(END)