“The PHF secretary came up with a proposal to hold their hockey series but the discussions are only in the preliminary stages,” said a DSC official. “Things will be shaped up in due course as the hockey stadium is only a few months away from being fully ready.”
Earlier, the PHF approached DSC to host their matches as countries are reluctant to tour Pakistan due to security concerns. The PHF decided to follow in Pakistan Cricket Board’s footsteps, who have been staging their matches abroad after the Lahore attacks on Sri Lanka’s team last year.
“Our aim is to play as much as we can against foreign teams to ensure that our hockey players continue to get international exposure,” said PHF’s general secretary Asif Bajwa before flying off to Dubai to meet a DSC official for the federation’s plans.
“Unfortunately due to security concerns, most teams are reluctant to play us in our country, but the DSC gives us an alternative to play our home series in Dubai,” added Bajwa.
DSC had previously signed a long-term partnership with the Federation of International Hockey in Germany during the 2006 World Cup.
The PHF is targeting the DSC which not only homes a hockey field that has the capacity for 5000 spectators, but was also built under the International Hockey Federation’s (FIH) guidelines. The venue features two water-based artificial surfaces with facilities for players and officials.
In addition, the PHF is hoping to rid its isolation from sports activities, as earlier this year Pakistan had to resort to Qatar to prepare for the World Cup, where they played a two-match series against Holland at Al Rayyan Sports Club Complex.
The DSC is already holding the World Hockey Academy, which is the first facility of its kind anywhere in the world that provides coaching at the highest professional level which was setup through a partnership between DSC and the FIH in 2008.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 14th, 2010.
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