KARACHI: Pakistan will soon launch a campaign for an extra Men’s Hockey World Cup slot for Asia, a top Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) official has said.
Asif Bajwa, the PHF secretary, told Arab News that he will send a proposal to the International Hockey Federation (FIH) and the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF), asking the international and continental hockey bodies to raise Asia’s World Cup quota ahead of the 2010 edition of the quadrennial spectacle. A positive response from the FIH would confirm a World Cup ticket for Pakistan, who finished as the second-best team in this month’s Asia Cup.
Pakistan are record four-time World Cup champions but are in danger of getting thrown out of the next year’s tournament in India after failing to win the only direct spot available to Asian hockey teams.
The Greenshirts managed to impress in this month’s Asia Cup — that served as a qualifying event for the World Cup — but went down 0-1 to Korea in the final of the seven-nation tournament held in Kuantan (Malaysia) from May 9-16. Korea qualified for the World Cup by winning the title.
Pakistan will now have to win one of the three World Cup qualifying tournament to be held later this year.
Bajwa, who was Pakistan team’s manager in the Asia Cup, said it is a big injustice to Asia which has a rich hockey history that the continent has been given just one direct spot in the World Cup.
“Asia was once the powerhouse of world hockey and still has some of the finest talent and yet we have just one direct World Cup slot,” said the former Olympian. “We will request the world hockey bosses to reconsider Asia’s World Cup quota and raise it to two,” he added.
Bajwa said that he would send the proposal in black and white to the FIH and AHF chiefs but only after PHF president Qasim Zia talks to the two officials later this week.
“I’m waiting for our president to talk to the FIH and AHF chiefs about the idea of raising Asia’s quota for the World Cup,” said Bajwa. “I expect that he (Qasim Zia) will talk to them in the next couple of days.”
The 2010 World Cup which is penciled in for New Delhi from March 3-20 next year just about nine months away, it seems quite unlikely that the FIH would accept Pakistan’s demand.
However, Bajwa is hopeful of a much more positive outcome.
“We would float the idea of increasing the number of competing teams from 12 to 16,” he said. “If the Junior World Cup can have 20 teams, then why can’t the FIH add four more teams to the World Cup which is the most important event on the international hockey circuit,” stressed the PHF secretary.
The FIH last year decided to raise the number of teams for the Junior World Cup — to be co-hosted by Malaysia and Singapore next month — from 16 to 20. The move was hailed by the world hockey community and Bajwa expects a similar reaction to an increase in teams for the 2010 Men’s World Cup.
“They can add four more teams to the World Cup and award one direct spot to four of the confederations,” he opined.
Bajwa’s optimism springs from the fact that a new FIH management has replaced the regime of former president — Els van Breda Vriesman — under whom the world body decided to reduce the size of the World Cup. Now, the FIH is led by Spain’s Leandro Negre.
“The new FIH president is committed to spreading hockey around the world and I’m hopeful that he would give due consideration to our World Cup proposal,” said Bajwa. But there may be considerations like a possible increase in the cost of a bigger World Cup that may stop the FIH from accepting PHF’s proposal.
However, Bajwa said that FIH and India (as the host nation) stand to gain more from a bigger World Cup in 2010.
“The 2002 World Cup (in Kuala Lumpur) had 16 teams and it was a successful tournament,” he said. “All competing teams (in the World Cup) pay for their own travel and expenses so the cost factor shouldn’t come in. In fact, with more matches, they can make more money through television rights.”
If the FIH agrees to raise Asia’s quota for the World Cup, then Pakistan will earn a direct entry for the 2010 event.
