Thaindian News

Islamabad, Jan 14(ANI): A hockey series to be played between India and Pakistan is in the doldrums, as both nations are still negotiating to organise it.

“We are still negotiating to organise this series but it is impossible at this time because the IHF is caught in their own problems,” the Daily Times quoted Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) Secretary General Mohammad Asif Bajwa, as saying.

“We are concentrating on the series against Egypt at this moment. There is no chance of the series against India before the end of this year. It will take place in last week of 2011, if India gets out of crisis,” he added.

Both countries have been discussing to organise a series at a neutral venue for the last many months. When asked whether the series should be considered as cancelled, Bajwa replied: “We are still hopeful but don’t know about the IHF’s issues. It may take place at the year end.”

Meanwhile, the PHF is planning to conduct ‘media management’ training for national players in the wake of growing controversies about players’ disputed statements in the media.

“We will organise a seminar about media management during the National Championship at the end of this month in Faislabad. We will train players that how can they handle media in different situations,” said Bajwa.

He said the national players were unaware about the methods to face media and needed quality training in this regard.

“They don’t know that which question should be answered and which should not be. We will tell them that how they can avoid ‘targeted questions’,” he said.

The National Championship is scheduled to take place from January 28 in Faisalabad. (ANI)