Hockey squad settled, preparations in limbo

Bangladesh Hockey Federation (BHF) today announced an 18-member final squad for the upcoming Asian Games, including veteran forwards Rasel Mahmud Jimmy and Pushkor Khisha Mimo. However, the governing body is struggling to arrange overseas preparatory matches for the men in red and green due to visa issues.

The 20th Asian Games will take place in Japan from September 19 to October 4, though Bangladesh will begin their hockey campaign a day earlier against South Korea before facing other Pool A opponents India, Japan, Sri Lanka and Indonesia.

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Since taking charge in early August, German coach Peter Rach Gerhard has trimmed a 34-member preliminary squad to 18. He initially reduced it to 24 on August 9, retaining experienced Jimmy and Mimo, who were left out by the previous ad hoc committee before the newly appointed committee called them up for the preliminary squad on August 3.

After a four-day break during which Gerhard travelled outside Bangladesh, training resumed today at Maulana Bhasani Hockey Stadium. However, plans for a Germany tour to play preparatory matches remain uncertain because of the visa crisis.

“Despite involving the ministries of Foreign Affairs and Youth and Sports, we have not received German visas till today [Friday] because the embassy is, as I have learnt, busy processing some 25 thousand student visas. However, we will wait for German visas until Sunday,” BHF joint secretary and selection committee member Ariful Haque Prince told The Daily Star today.

“If we don’t get any green signal to obtain German visas, then we will switch to our plan B. We have already communicated with China to play six matches against their hockey team,” said the former national forward, adding that they could play nine warm-up matches if the German tour goes ahead.

Prince also said they were considering travelling to Japan from China if the Germany plan fell through.

That, however, depends on the availability of six accreditation cards for Gerhard, Jimmy, Mimo and officials Prince, Sajed AA Adel and Mizanur Rahman Don. The BHF yesterday appealed for replacements after the Olympic Council of Asia agreed to the proposal to replace players and officials.

In an interview with The Daily Star before the Asian Games Qualifiers, Mimo said he would call time on his career after the Asian Games, despite initially being left out of the squad. BHF officials had also urged Jimmy to consider ending his illustrious career after the Games.

However, those plans could change if Bangladesh finish fifth or sixth in the 12-team Asian Games event, allowing both players to feature in a multi-nation tournament planned for December to mark the inauguration of the artificial hockey turf at Bashundhara Sports Complex.

Bangladesh Hockey Squad: Biplob Kujur, Ashraful Haque Shad, Ashraful Islam, Hozifa Hossain, Amirul Islam, Rezaul Karim Babu, Roman Sarkar, Shahidur Rohman Saju, Obidul Hossain Joy, Deen Islam Emon, Khaled Mahmud Rakin, Puskar Khisa, Shohanur Rahman Sobuj, Farhad Ahmed Shetul, Mahbub Hossain, Mainul Islam Koushik, Rasel Mahmud Jimmy and Rakibul Hasan Rocky