The Indian men's hockey team will travel to Pakistan for qualifiers in case it fails to directly qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics by winning gold at the upcoming Hangzhou Asian Games, starting September 23.
In case the Indian team fails to finish at the top of the podium, they won't receive a direct berth in the quadrennial event as per rule'
Other nations will have to play the qualifiers scheduled in Pakistan and Spain.
Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey said that they will try to get the job done in Hangzhou. 'But, if for some reason, we fail to qualify, then there are a couple of venues that have been identified for the qualifiers – Pakistan and Spain. So, wherever it happens, we will definitely go.' he stated.
However, travelling to Pakistan requires government clearance and it will be interesting to see how things pan out.