CM Mann assures full support to Hockey India for Asian Champions Trophy in Punjab

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has assured full support to Hockey India for the Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament, set to take place in October.

With Punjab set to host the Asian Champions Trophy hockey tournament in October, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday assured full support to Hockey India, the governing body for the sport in the country, for organising the prestigious event.

Mann said the tournament, which will take place for the first time in Punjab, would further strengthen the state's identity as the cradle of Indian hockey and inspire a new generation of youth to take to sports.

The tournament will be played at two venues – Jaladhar and Mohali – in which the top six performing men's teams from the Asian Games, to be held in Japan from September 19 to October 4, would compete.

At a meeting with Hockey India officials on Thursday, Mann expressed the Punjab government's commitment to ensuring world-class arrangements, foolproof security and every possible facility for the players and officials.

''Punjab has always been the nursery of hockey, and hosting such an international tournament will further inspire our youth to connect with sports,'' Mann said in a statement.

''Hosting the event is a major achievement for Punjab, which has finally got the opportunity to organise an international hockey event,'' he added.

Mann also said that another international event – a four-nation invitational tournament – has also been approved for Punjab, which would give a major boost to hockey in the region.

Calling upon Punjabis and sportspersons to unite in reviving the sporting glory of the state, Mann urged everyone to work collectively towards rebuilding a 'Rangla Punjab' through sports.

Despite Punjab producing some of the finest hockey players for the country over the decades, the state had never hosted a major international hockey tournament before, he said.

''The Asian Champions Trophy would bridge that historical gap and mark the beginning of a new era for sports infrastructure and sporting culture in Punjab,'' he added.

Sharing details, Mann said the matches will be played at the Balbir Singh Sr Hockey Stadium in Mohali and the Surjit Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar.