Asian Champions Trophy: A Puzzle?

If media reports from Pakistan are to be believed, Pakistan will host first of the Asian Champions Trophy next year end.

If the statement of Asif Bajwa, Secretary of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (as reported in Pak media) are further to be believed, one more thing is clear.

It is thus: “After introducing Champions Trophy, Pakistan now pioneers another new tournament, Asian Champions Trophy”.

There is no doubt Champions Trophy is the gift to the world by Pakistan.

Now the question of Asian Champions Trophy needs a bit of flash back.

Flash Back:

Venue: Mayor Radhakrishan Hockey Stadium, Chennai, India
Location: Media Room in the first floor
Occasion: Time between two Semifinals of the Asia Cup
Date: 8.9.2007

Actors: 1.Asian Hockey Federation Secretary General P.Alagendra
2.Then Indian Hockey Federation President, KPS Gill.
Announcement: Asian Hockey Federation has decided to introduce Asian Champions Trophy. India will host first three editions starting from 2009. I thank IHF Chief KPS Gill for suggesting such a tournament and then coming forward to host.

Impact: All Indian newspapers carried out the item next day; while the television channels did their best.
Humour: Gill was taking a nap even as Alagendra was announcing this (please believe me, media that had enough laughter)

Neither does the Asian Hockey Federation nor the Ad hoc Committee (India) bring out any communication, enabling us to know the official version.

Till then let us say what we know.

If the Asian Champions Trophy had indeed been allotted to Pakistan much against earlier allotment to India, announcement of which was made in August 2007, reaffirmed again at Hyderabad (India) during the AHF meeting (July 2008), then it is another case of the present Ad hoc Committee letting us down.