By Admin 
Amid reports of the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) seeking visa guarantees for the upcoming Asia Cup, Hockey India
(HI) made it clear on Tuesday that the nation comes first and the federation would abide by the government’s advice on the matter.
“As of now, there have neither been any talks with the government nor any guideline or advisory from them. There is enough time at the moment, the Asia Cup is three months away and as and when something comes from the government, we will act accordingly,” HI secretary general Bhola Nath Singh said on the sidelines of signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Amity University Online (AUO) here.
Singh, who is also an Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) vice-president, insisted that there had been no discussion at the continental level either on the issue. “I am with the AHF and HI but I am also an Indian and the country comes first. We have ambitious plans including hosting the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics but let the Indian government first say something, only then we can respond,” he added.
Accommodate more European players
Singh also announced that the 2026 season of the Hockey India League (HIL) will commence on January 5 to accommodate more players from Europe while categorically denying there were any pending players’ dues from the previous season. HI has opened player registration for the forthcoming season and Singh said the decision was taken to avoid clashing with Christmas holidays which forced several players to skip the tournament when the HIL began on December 28.
“We want maximum participation and have decided to move the competition by a week. I can also confirm that there will be eight men and six women’s teams. As for payments, all my players have got their dues cleared, there is nothing pending to my knowledge and any such reports are wrong. Discussions are also ongoing with the franchises and we will take a final decision on the venues depending on the suitability for everyone.”
Singh, however, refused to say anything on Team Gonasika pulling out and about the possible replacements.
Sources added that a trading window will be announced after the player registration period is over on August 20 to allow franchises to rework their team compositions, followed by a mini-auction to facilitate player release and new signings.
Scholarships
The MoU with AUO, meanwhile, will see the university offer comprehensive education courses for hockey players from state to international levels with scholarships ranging from 30 to 100 per cent to help them pursue higher education and training – the first time a National Sports Federation has formally established an educational system for its athletes. The AUO will also provide free access to a three-month certificate course in Sports Psychology for all athletes.
Published – May 20, 2025 05:45 pm IST