Pakistan national hockey team’s plans to travel to Amsterdam for a training camp have been disrupted due to visa delays by the Dutch embassy in Pakistan.
Head coach Roelant Oltmans had arranged a 10-day training camp in Amsterdam that was originally scheduled to commence on May 22 to prepare the team for the upcoming Nations Challenge Hockey Cup, set to begin on May 31 in Poland.
According to sources within the squad, the team has not obtained visas so far although the embassy has promised to speed up the formalities, however, the chances of getting the traveling documents ready by Monday seem highly unlikely which means that the team would not be able to start the training camp as per schedule on May 22.
As part of the camp, a friendly match against the Dutch national team had been organized, offering the Pakistani players a valuable opportunity to test their skills against one of the top teams in the world. This match now hangs in the balance, increasing doubts over the team’s preparations.
Coach Oltma
ns, who is already in the Netherlands setting up the camp stated, ‘It is a good development. I am trying to get more matches but at the moment one Test against the Dutch national team has been finalised.’
The visa issue not only jeopardizes the planned camp but also poses a significant challenge to the team’s readiness for the Nations Challenge Hockey Cup. The Pakistan Hockey Federation is reportedly in urgent discussions with the Dutch authorities, seeking an expedited resolution to ensure the team’s timely travel.
Winning the Nations Cup is extremely important from Pakistan’s perspective as the title will take the team into the FIH Pro League next season.
Source: Pro Pakistani