Junior Asia Cup in Karachi

05/07/2003

THE Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) has decided to hold the fifth Men's
Junior Asia Cup in Karachi on April 21-30 next year.
The Asia Cup, doubling up as a qualifier for the 2005 Junior World Cup
in Holland, will be held one month after the Madrid Olympic Qualifiers.
"The AHF has also decided to introduce a SEA Cup (men's and women's) in
Singapore from Aug 30 to Sept 7 because we felt that the omission of
hockey from the Vietnam Sea Games has deprived countries in this region of
one tournament," said AHF secretary Tan Sri P. Alagendra yesterday.
"And since hockey is unlikely to be included in the next Sea Games in
2007 either, this tournament can help maintain interest and assist in the
development of the game in this region."
The Junior Asia Cup will feature all the top hockey-playing nations in
the continent including India, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan and China. The
top four teams qualify for the Youth World Cup in 2005.
Pakistan fared miserably in the previous edition of the Junior Asia Cup
in Kuala Lumpur in 2000 and did not qualify for the 2001 World Cup in
Hobart, Tasmania.
(END)