Ikram backs Pakistan hockey league

Pakistan must use a professional hockey league to rebuild its domestic game and reconnect supporters with a sport that has struggled to maintain its traditional following, International Hockey Federation (FIH) President Tayyab Ikram said on Monday. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the FIH World Cup in Amstelveen, Ikram strongly backed plans for a league in Pakistan, saying it could provide local players with valuable international exposure while giving fans a platform to watch high-level hockey at home. “The league has its advantages. The league is not just a show,” Ikram said. “Many players benefit from it. Local players get to play in international environments. They showcase with professional broadcasters. They get a very important platform.” He said Pakistanis who had not been able to watch hockey regularly for a long time would have an opportunity to reconnect with the sport through a domestic competition. “You can bring them closer,” Ikram said. “You can bring hockey back to life.” He described the league as ‘a very good product’ and rejected the idea that Pakistan was too late to start one. “There is no delay in it,” Ikram said. Ikram also stressed the importance of Pakistan’s rivalry with India, saying matches between the two sides remained one of hockey’s most valuable properties for the sport in Asia and globally. “India-Pakistan property is very important for us, for Pakistan, for both countries, for Asia, for global hockey,” he said. The FIH president said the rivalry generated exceptional interest across television, social media and stadiums, while also providing an opportunity to showcase the traditional skills and competitive character of both teams. He said the strong attendance for the India-Pakistan World Cup match in the Netherlands demonstrated the continuing appeal of the fixture. “Apart from Holland, the whole stadium was full,” he said. “So, this is a very clear indication that this is an important property.” Ikram said Pakistan could also learn from the hockey culture he had witnessed in the Netherlands and Belgium, co-hosts of the World Cup. “Holland and Belgium are the home of hockey. There is a great hockey culture here,” he said. He said the strength of Dutch hockey was based on broad family participation, with parents, children, clubs, sponsors and supporters all involved. Ikram recalled seeing children as young as five or six being brought to hockey grounds by their parents, describing the culture as a family commitment. “The average family in Holland spends four days a week playing hockey,” he said. “After work, they take their children to play.” Ikram also spoke about receiving Tamgha-e-Imtiaz, describing the civilian award as a major honour and a motivation to continue his work for hockey. “Tamgha-e-Imtiaz is a great honour for me,” he said. “It is a great motivation for me. It is my duty to serve in this way.”