Ban on bilateral sports with Pakistan to continue, multi-national events exempted: Sports Ministry

The Sports Ministry on Wednesday said the blanket ban on bilateral sporting ties with Pakistan that was imposed last year will remain in force but athletes from across the border will not be stopped from coming here for multi-lateral events.

The ministry also reiterated its commitment to simplify the visa process for sportspersons, team officials, technical personnel, and office-bearers of International Sports Governing Bodies to position India as a “preferred sporting destination”.

“In so far as bilateral sports events in each other’s country are concerned, Indian teams will not be participating in competitions in Pakistan. Nor will we permit Pakistani teams to play in India,” the ministry stated in a circular issued to all National Sports Federations (NSFs), the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and the Sports Authority of India (SAI), among others.

“With regard to international and multilateral events, in India or abroad, we are guided by the practices of international sports bodies and the interest of our own sportspersons.

“Accordingly, Indian teams and individual players will take part in international events that also have teams or players from Pakistan. Similarly, Pakistani players and teams will be able to participate in such multilateral events hosted by India,” it added.

The policy was first announced last year in August after an uproar over India’s participation in cricket’s Asia Cup in the UAE that also featured Pakistan, within months of the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people.