Sports Minister Goel says Pakistan okay for Asian Athletics Championships

The Asian Athletics Championships will also be remembered for another reason.
Sports Minister Vijay Goel (File | AFP)
Sports Minister Vijay Goel (File | AFP)
Updated on
2 min read

CHENNAI: The Asian Athletics Championships will also be remembered for another reason. This is the first time since the 2016 World T20 that sportspersons (around eight) from Pakistan have been part of any major event in the country. There have been occasions when the Indian government did not allow them to participate or Pakistan players deliberately stayed away from the competition.

Sports Minister Vijay Goel has been quite vocal about India’s stance and said that unless tension at the border subsides, India players would not be allowed to play in bilateral series, including cricket. However, this time, like in the ICC Champions Trophy and the Women’s Cricket World Cup, the ministry cannot interfere because it is a multi-nation event, he said.

“We have followed protocol and the Ministry of External Affairs and Home Ministry had taken due diligence of the matter and given clearance to the team,” he explained to Express from Delhi. “I have always maintained that, as far as multi-nation events are concerned, we cannot stop both India and Pakistan players from competing against each other. But I must also say that relations with Pakistan are not the best right now.

Also, had Pakistan not participated, it would have been bad for the hosts. When asked whether it is to be seen as something positive, he said cryptically: “Sports always helps in building good relationships.”

Pakistan athletes were kept out of the Kabaddi World Cup, Asian Squash Championships and junior Hockey World Cup. In the case of the squash championships, the names of the Pakistani players were there in the entry list until the last moment.

When the Indian cricket board wanted to play Pakistan in bilateral series, the government maintained that the time was not right for the series. The minster had then told Express , “We cannot expect to play bilateral series when there is tension on the India-Pakistan border”. 

indraneel.das@newindianexpress.com

Related Stories

No stories found.

X
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com