Is state sponsored terrorism enough reason for India to severe sporting ties with Pakistan ?

History has witnessed that terrorism has influenced sports. Recent events has shown that terrorism has yet again marred the spirit of sports.  The belligerence of the relationship between India and Pakistan is accrued as India denies to have any ties with Pakistan until it puts halt to the cross border terrorism. But is state sponsored terrorism enough reason for India to severe sporting ties with Pakistan ?

India’s current Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports made a bold albeit necessary statement. “Terrorism and sports can’t go along and Pakistan should understand that. The relation between India and Pakistan can be cordial only after Pakistan stops sponsoring cross border terrorism,” Goel told reporters during the announcement of National Youth Awards.

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“India take these things very seriously. We are not at loss, our decision to stop bilateral sporting ties with Pakistan will force Pakistani people to put pressure on their government to act against terrorism. The entire world knows Pakistan is sponsoring terrorism,” he added.

 

 

India is hosting the Asian Wrestling Championships scheduled to take place from 10th to 14th May. India has refused to grant Pakistani wrestlers their visas which is necessary for them in order to appear in the championship. Hence wrestlers Muhammad Inam Butt and Muhammad Bilal would be absent from the tournament.

It seems like a mandatory step to be taken for the message to be sent. India will not succumb to the pressures from Pakistan. This comes in the wake of the attack which was a violation of cease-fire violation in Jammu and Kashmir which resulted in the mutilation of two bodies of Indian soldiers.

The development comes just weeks after the Pakistan Squash Federation claimed that the Indian High Commission had not issued visas for the Asian Individual Squash Championship in Chennai, India between April 26 and April 30.

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These aren’t just the recent events when India decided to put its foot down. In December 2016, the Pakistan Hockey Federation claimed that their junior hockey team were denied the visa and could not take part in the FIH Junior World Cup that was held in Lucknow.

The relations between the countries hang on a thin thread. The one beautiful thing that was capable of bringing the two nations closer is being threatened here. The players are the worst affected because they are sucked into the vortex of whole dirty politics.