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LAHORE The President of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) President Leandro Negre has sincerely expressed the hope that international hockey returns to Pakistan and the government of Punjab has assured him of its complete support in helping the FIH achieve his goal.
Negre, who with another important personality of the FIH, R David Balbrine, secretary general European Hockey Federation arrived in the wee hours of Tuesday morning on a four-day visit expressed his aspiration during his meetings with Punjab Governor Salman Taseer and Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif.
Negre, said the FIH would try its best to allot an international tournament to Pakistan as soon as it deemed fit. He said Pakistan had made a great contribution in the world of hockey and had great potential to make more input.
Since the 9/11 attacks in the USA, sports in of Pakistan has been very badly affected as various international tournaments and series had to be cancelled in view of security concerns in the region.
Negre, told the governor and chief minister that the FIH was trying to extend full cooperation to its Pakistan chapter to revive international activity in the country.
The Chief Minister assured the FIH president that his government would provide all kind of facilities to the PHF to organize an international activity, whenever it would be allotted to it.
The visit of Negre along with Balbrine could prove to be a positive step in the right direction to revive international hockey in the near future. Balbrine's recommendation to any European country to send their team to Pakistan will have considerable leverage provided the visit of the FIH delegation is completely successful.
A PHF official on condition of anonymity told Dawn that a special plane had been hired for the delegation as the visitors had been declared state guests.
Foolproof security is being provided to the FIH delegation and to remove any apprehensions about security a comprehensive briefing had been arranged which the PHF president Qasim Zia, secretary Asif Bajwa, Punjab Hockey Association secretary Rana Mujahid also attended along with with the governor and chief minister.
Negre, will start a two-day visit of Islamabad from Wednesday where he will inaugurate the Benazir Shaheed Memorial Women's hockey and is most likely to pay a courtesy call on President Asif Ali Zardari and meet various other sports personalities including the sports minister, and POA officials.
He will return to Lahore on Friday and will leave for India to review the arrangements for the 2010-World Cup, scheduled to be held in February.
