Pak Takes Exception to India’s Armband Protest in Hockey Match

The armband protest was to condole the deaths of Indian soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir.

Indian Hockey players wore black armbands in a match against Pakistan. (Photo: Hockey India)

(Photo: Hockey India)

Pakistan has taken exception to the Indian Hockey team's act of wearing black armbands to condole the deaths of Indian soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir during their match against the Pakistani team in the Hockey World League

The protest took place in a semi-final match between the two teams on 18 June, in which the Indian team prevailed over Pakistan with the final score reading 7-1.

Regarding the incident, Shahbaz Ahmed, the Secretary-General of the Pakistan Hockey Federation, was quoted by Hindustan Times as saying:

Why didn’t the Indian cricket team wear black armbands during the ICC Champions Trophy? They played Pakistan not once but twice. When you use players to deliver political messages, it is not in the right spirit

He also shed light on how England too did not approve of the protest.

In addition to this, both Pakistan and the International Hockey Federation (FIH) did not take down well the remarks made by FIH President Narinder Batra in response to the summoning of Indian hockey player Sardar Singh by the Yorkshire police in connection with a sexual assault case. The summon prompted Batra to make some scathing remarks against England and Pakistan on social media.

Batra was quoted by Indian Express for writing the following, which has now been reportedly taken off:

I would love to see the reaction of England and world media if in India England players are called to police stations... Typical British Policy, Divide and Rule, 16 Pakistani-Origin MPs to salvage their humiliation in hockey now decide to demoralise the Team (sic)

Narinder Batra

Responding to the issue, FIH categorically stated:

The FIH would like to emphasise that these comments were the personal thoughts of Batra and not representative of the views of the FIH. The FIH would like to apologise for any offence that these comments may have caused

It added that there will be an internal review into the matter.

Also Read: Hockey Team Wore Black Armbands to Condole Death of Indian Jawans

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