JOIN USHockey India League on Tuesday decided to release all nine Pakistan players signed to play in the franchise-based event, amid tension between New Delhi and Islamabad over border skirmishes.
Four Pakistani players of Mumbai team trained at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium for their match against Waveriders on Wednesday before the news broke out.Imran Butt, Mahmood Rashid, Fareed Ahmed and Muhammad Tousiq (Mumbai Magicians), Mohammed Rizwan Sr and Mohammad Rizwan Jr (Delhi Waveriders), Kashif Shah (Jaypee Punjab Warriors) and Muhammed Irfan and Shafqat Rasool (Ranchi Rhinos) are the nine Pakistani players who will be heading home.
Hockey India (HI) General Secretary Narinder Batra told reporters, “After discussions with all stakeholders, the HI and Pakistan Hockey Federation have mutually decided to send them (Pakistan players) back due to an extraordinary situation which has arisen.”
The Pakistani players were contracted to play for three years. Batra said they took the decision so that Pakistan players “do not feel mental stress and their performance is not affected.”
The contract money for 2013 will be paid in full to the them. “The HI is committed to guaranteeing the money,” he said.
Batra said the franchises could seek replacements from their reserve pools. “We will give the right to franchises which own Pakistani players that they can ask for replacements. They can select from the reserve pool within their allocated budget,” he said.
Mumbai Magicians undoubtedly will be the worst hit and has already started looking for replacements. Mumbai Magicians coach Ric Charlesworth had made his displeasure known over the issue.
It is learnt that the option of increasing security was discussed, but the franchise owners decided to abide by the decision of the HI governing body.
“We felt that in the current circumstances we would not like to have any disruptions in the league. We are organising it for the first time and want it to go smoothly. We spoke to the HI about increasing the security, but then realised that it may not suffice. What is important is that we can get players from the reserve pool,” a top official of one of the franchises told Deccan Herald.
The presence of Pakistani players in the league drew protests from the right wing parties with over a hundred Shiv Sena workers disrupting the practice of Mumbai Magicians in Mumbai on Sunday. The Mumbai team members were flown to Delhi on Monday morning a day before they were scheduled to arrive in the city. The opening match of the league between Delhi Waveriders and Jaypee Punjab Warriors also saw two youths from the Hindu Yuvak Sabha of Hindu Sena invading the pitch and screaming anti-Pakistan slogans.Notably, neither of the two teams fielded the Pakistani players.