Outrightly rejecting the claims made by the Pakistan Hockey Federation, Indian Hockey Federation Secretary K Jothikumaran said the accusations did not have any basis in facts.
“I can only say that this is a bundle of lies. I have never heard of the person (PHF media manager Altaf Sabir) who has issued the statement. Who is he to talk about this? Either it should come from the President or Secretary of the PHF.
“What is the meaning of linking India and Pakistan? We not even played in the same group in the Asia Cup,” Jothikumaran said.
“It’s India which usually becomes the victim of poor umpiring. If you analyse, some decisions went against us in the Asia Cup,” he added. The IHF official said such a statement from PHF only indicated the poor state of hockey in Pakistan. “If such a thing has happened, I can say it shows the pathetic situation of hockey in Pakistan,” he said.
On the possibility of the Champions Trophy, coming to India, Jothikumaran said the IHF was hopeful of getting it. “I feel we will get it. Going by the successful conduct of the Asia Cup, the FIH should allot the Champions Trophy to India”.