4 Times Gold Medalist Pakistan Failed to Qualify for World Hockey Cup 2014

Hockey World Cup competition is starting from May 31, 2014, however, the four time gold medalist Pakistan hockey team is not participating. Twelve hockey teams will be competing against each other in the Rabobank Hockey World Cup from the 31st May until 15th June in The Hague.

The tournament, consisting of 76 matches, will be the second time both the men’s and women’s World
Cups have been held at the same time and at the same location. The schedule will see six matches take
place a day in the pool phase running until 10 June, reducing to four during the knock-out phases.

Held at the Kyocera Stadium, this showpiece event will kick-off on the 31 May with the women’s final on
Saturday 14 June followed by the men’s on Sunday 15 June.

The men’s hockey teams are divided into pool A and pool B as following:
Pool A: Australia, England, Belgium, India, Spain, Malaysia
Pool B: Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand, South Korea, Argentina, South Africa.

Pakistan hockey team is not participating in the mega event as it failed to secure a berth through the qualifying events. It is a shame that hockey is Pakistan’s national game and still Pakistan hockey team not only failed to win any major international event during past two decades but has also managed to stay out of the 2014 Hockey World cup.

Lack of interest from Pakistan Hockey officials and their internal rifts have damaged hockey game in Pakistan to a point where it seems next to impossible to revive the national game in the country. Other factors contributing to the fall of hockey game in Pakistan are poor playing facilities, low earnings, and lack of interest in youth.

Will anybody in the Pakistan government take notice of miserable status of national game and take action to revive the game to make it national pride once again?

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=44681

Posted by Nadeem Bajwa on May 30 2014. Filed under Pakistan, Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.