ZCZC
BSP-12
HOCKEY-PLAYER-AGE-COMPLICATION
Hockey’s players’ age complexities problem over
DHAKA, Sept 2, 2020 (BSS)- There will be no barrier as the eight hockey players, with age complexities problem due to the postponement of the tournament, will be able to play in the Bangabandhu U-21 men’s Junior Asia Cup Hockey to be held next year.
“Yes the AHF verbally informed us the day before yesterday that as the tournament has been deferred near about a year so players born after January 1, 1999, will able to participate in the January next year’s Bangabandhu U-21 Junior Asia Cup Hockey,” informed BHF acting general secretary Mohammad Yousuf told BSS today.
However, the AHF has yet to confirm officially about the matter but we hope they will officially confirm it soon, he added.
The tournament was earlier scheduled to hold on June 4-14 this year but the problem has aroused as the tournament had been postponed and shifted to January next due to COVID-19 pandemic.
It had brought a big blow for Bangladesh junior hockey team as eight players fell in age complexities problem due to the postponement of the tournament. Among the eight, five players are experienced and important of the main eleven.
Earlier, the AHF informed that the players, whose age are within twenty one year till December 31, 2020, will only be able to take part in the tournament scheduled for March next year. But now as per the special permission which the AHF got from International Hockey Federation, players born after January 1, 1999, will be able to participate in the January next year’s U-21 Asia Cup Hockey.
The BHF will host the Bangabandhu Men’s Junior Asia Cup Hockey scheduled to be held on 21-30 January next at Moulana Bhasani National Hockey Stadium in the city.
The ten countries are Chinese Taipei, Uzbekistan, India, Oman, Japan, South Korea, China, Malaysia, Pakistan and host Bangladesh.
Among the ten countries top six teams – Bangladesh, India, Japan, Pakistan, South Korea and Malaysia — of last tournament will directly play this year’s tournament while remaining four teams — China, Chinese Taipei , Oman and Uzbekistan – have come after participating in the selection round held in Oman last year.
The top three countries of the Junior Asia Cup will qualify for the next edition of Men’s Junior Hockey World Cup.
BSS/SG/AU/18:15 hrs