New Delhi: India on Tuesday came out of the Birmingham Commonwealth hockey competition next year, citing Covid-19 concerns and discriminatory quarantine rules in the UK for travelers from the country, a day after British withdrawal from the Junior World Cup in Bhubaneswar for the same reason.
Indian Hockey President Gyanandro Ningombam communicates the Federation’s decision to President Narinder Batra President Olympic India in a letter.
Indian hockey reasoned that there was only a 32 day window available between Birmingham games (28 August 8) and Hangzhou Asia Games (September 10-25).
Hi said he could not risk sending his players to England, which has become one of the worst influenced by the Coronavirus pandemic.
“You will appreciate that the Asian game is a continental qualifying event for the Paris Olympics 2024 and maintaining the priority of Asian games in mind, Indian hockey cannot risk Indian team members who signed Covid-19 during the Commonwealth match,” Ningombam wrote.
“Therefore, Indian Hockey will not send a team of men and women to the 2022 Commonwealth game and notify you before to notify the organizers to identify the reserve team.” The possibility of this withdrawal appeared a few weeks ago when President IOA said that HI had indicated him that it was more interested in the top players for Asian games which were qualifications for the Paris Olympics 2024.
Sources in the Sports Ministry stated that efforts would be made to persuade HI To send the second string team instead of pulling away.
England recently refused to recognize Covid-19 Indian vaccination certificates and impose hard quarantine 10 days on travelers from the country even if they were fully vaccinated.
The discrimination was clearly stated in Ningombam’s letter to the President IOA, which has issued instructions for coordination with the sports world that manages FIH for the details of the reserve team.
Batra also heads FIH.
“Such discriminatory restrictions were not imposed on Indian athletes and officials during the Tokyo Olympics recently and the requirements for quarantine 10 days for vaccinated sports people would affect their performance,” Ningombam said.
“We felt this restriction biased against India and amounted to it was very unfortunate,” he said.
Hi Steps come a day after the British out of the Junior World Cup which will be held in Bhubaneswar next month, quoting a number of concerns related to Covid and taking “noted” from the 10-day quarantine protocol of the Indian government for all British citizens.
India imposed a reciprocal sidewalk on all British citizens who arrived in the country after British firmly rejection to reconsider the restrictions.
Under new Indian norms, all British citizens arrive here from England, regardless of their vaccination status, must produce the RT-PC test results carried out within 72 hours before traveling.
They also had to do two other RT-PCR tests, one on their arrival at the airport in India and the second on the 8th day after arrival.
Both the team of men and women India reached the medal round at the 2018 CWG Gold Coast but lost to England in the Bronze play-off.
The men’s team was beaten 1-2 while the woman’s team lost 0-6 to England.
Birmingham CWG will be the first big event for both teams after their inspirational show in the Tokyo match, where the men’s team won bronze while women finished the four credited.