IHF approves PHF request for Champions Trophy inclusion
President International Hockey Federation Narinder Batra has granted special entry to Pakistan hockey team in Champions trophy after official request made by President PHF Khalid Sajjad Khokhar.
Initially Pakistan did not qualify for the Hockey Champions trophy but International Hockey Federation (IHF) allows Pakistan to be the part of Champions trophy after the arguments made by Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) president Brig (r) Khalid Sajjad Khokhar. Pakistan was not able to qualify for the main events of 2018 and that standstill the growth of game and releasing of the funds remains one of the major issue in the past, Khalid Khokar said.
As green shirts did not qualify for the major events including World cup and Olympics, so president PHF made official request before the IHF president who is also the president of Indian hockey federation, that team should be given an entry in Champions Trophy so that players can get international exposure and get experience after playing against international teams.
Champions Trophy hockey event is a six teams tournament but due to official request, Pakistan will now be the seventh team in the event and will be playing all the teams in the tournament. Champions Trophy hockey tournament is scheduled to be held in Breda, Netherlands from 23rd June to 1st July 2018.
The teams included in the event are hosts Netherlands, defending and Olympic champions, World cup and hockey league winners while rest of the teams will be filled by FIH executive board.
