Ronaldinho and friends give hope to Pakistan Hockey Federation

Ronaldinho and Friends' power transcends football

KARACHI: The recent staging of 'Ronaldinho and Friends' twin exhibition matches featuring some of world's most iconic footballers has also given hope to other sports organisers, including the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), who feel the precedent set by the spectacle can help them secure security clearances for their long-planned league.

Last weekend, Karachi hosted the first of two futsal matches as legends such as Ronaldinho, Ryan Giggs, Robert Pires and others showcased their skills on Abdul Sattar Hockey Stadium's newly laid out AstroTurf, which has yet to see any major hockey action as plans to hold a Pakistan Super League-style event has failed to come to fruition.

Held amid tight security, the seven-a-side futsal match, PHF officials believe, showed that Karachi is a safe place capable of hosting international tournaments featuring foreign stars.

Olympian Kamran Ashraf, who is also associated with the PHF, feels the futsal event has sent out a positive image of the city and the country.

“Ever since the new turf was laid out seven months ago, we had been waiting to hold a big event and it cannot get any bigger than top football stars coming to play here," said Olympian Kamran Ashraf in an interview with The Express Tribune. "This was a big achievement for the PHF and for the stadium management that they were able to facilitate such an enormous event."

Per Ashraf, the tight security provided by Pakistan Army has sent a message to the world that Pakistan is a safe country and will open door for many other opportunities. “After the arrival of these football stars we will also invite big-name hockey players to our Pakistan Hockey League (PHL), and I bet it will now be easy for us to convince them to come and play here,” he said.

The PHL has been in the pipeline for quite some time, but Ashraf feels the wait of the hockey fans will soon be over.

“PHF has all its plans ready, and once the security clearance is issued, it can be held within a month," he said. "We have planned it for November, for which we will have to get the security clearance by the end of September, but I think we will get it even sooner after this football event."

Naveed Alam, another of PHF officials, echoed Ashraf's sentiments, saying: “PHF has completed the planning, including format of the league, number of teams, the total budget and has even talked with the organizers. The only thing holding us back is a security clearance from the government. Once we get that, we will invite players from more than 10 countries."