Kusum Arora

Tribune News Service

Though the prestigious 26th Indian Oil Servo Surjit Hockey tournament is all set to get underway from tomorrow, Javed Hockey Club, Gojra (Pakistan), will not be seen in action, as the team has not reported for the tournament till date.

It seems that owing to the present sour relations between India and Pakistan the team failed to receive a go ahead. Asked to comment on the reason behind the team’s refusal to turn up for the prestigious event, director sports, Pargat Singh said, “I cannot say anything in this regard but since the team was not given any formal approval by the External Affairs ministry, it failed to reach here. The Government of India has not given a green signal to the Pakistani team so far.”

The organisers of the tournament maintained that there has been no official confirmation by the team in this regard. Organising secretary of the tournament, Iqbal Singh Sandhu said, “It is understood that the team is not coming for the tournament as they have failed to report so far. We had completed the official formalities in this regard nearly two months back. Moreover, the official confirmation is always made well in advance.”

It is pertinent to mention here that last year three Pakistan teams namely, Javed Hockey Club, Gojra, Crescent Hockey Club and Independent Hockey Club were seen in action during the tournament.

The tournament would be played on league-cum-knockout basis on the newly-laid polytan turf under floodlights at the local Olympian Surjit Hockey Stadium. As per the new schedule, the teams have been divided into four pools and winner team of the each pool will qualify for the semifinals, scheduled for November 12.

Last year’s champion Punjab & Sind Bank Delhi, Border Security Force (BSF) Jalandhar & Indian Air Force (IAF) Delhi have been put in pool A; Air India, Mumbai, Namdhari-XI, Sirsa & Punjab National Bank (PNB) Delhi have been kept in pool B.

Former champions Indian Oil, Mumbai, Rail Coach factory (RCF) Kapurthala & EME Jalandhar have been placed in pool C, while Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPC) Mumbai, Punjab Police & Corps of Signals, Jalandhar, are in pool D.