Hockey sport has been excluded from South Asian games for the year 2019.

According to the details, hockey has been excluded from SAF games for the year 2019. Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) efforts also ended in vain to keep the sport included.

SAF Games organizing committee has refused to organize hockey matches in the upcoming event to be held in Nepal. Nepal Olympic Association was unable to construct an international standard hockey stadium before the deadline.

Secretary General POA Khalid Mehmood said that we tried our level best to keep hockey in the upcoming SAF Games but due to non-availability of international standard hockey ground the sport was excluded.

Khalid Mehmood also said that Pakistan was hopeful to achieve gold medal in the upcoming SAF games event.

In previous 12^th SAF games Pakistan defeated India in hockey to win the gold medal.

SAF Games 2019 will commence from 1 December in Nepal.