Pakistan’s government accusations that India is politicizing sport could tarnish international cricket tournaments and jeopardize the fledgling Indian 2036 Olympic bid.
India has backed out of plans to send its cricket team to the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy 2025 set to be staged in Pakistan at venues in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi from February 19 to March 9. Citing security concerns surrounding the two conflicted nations, the Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) could consider competing under a hybrid model that would see its matches held in another country. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed, after it was advised by the government, that it will not adopt a hybrid model for the scheduled tournament and will not play any of its matches outside Pakistan.
According to sources of Pakistani television’s Geo News, the government is set to take retaliatory measures against India by refusing to play against that nation in international tournaments.
“We will not participate in any event against India unless they agree to play in Pakistan,” the government source revealed.
The current dispute stems from decades of political conflict between the two nations leading to India’s refusal to send teams to Pakistan since the 2008 Asia Cup, instead sometimes working around the problem with hybrid-style tournaments. Meanwhile Pakistan has continued to send teams to India, most recently at the 2023 World Cup.
This most recent refusal by India has apparently moved capital Islamabad past the breaking point.
The boycott threat could impact the upcoming high-profile cricket tournament at the LA 2028 Olympic Games where the sport has been added by the organizing committee to help market the Olympics to the Indian subcontinent and potentially improve broadcast revenues from the region. The Olympic tournament in the United States will have minimal interest locally, but could break viewership records in India and help the International Olympic Committee (IOC) sign new high-level sponsorships.
Sources also revealed plans for the Pakistan government to lobby against India’s 2036 Olympic bid that has been backed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Officials will communicate with the IOC directly, pleading that India is politicizing sporting competitions – a tactic that the Olympics governing body strongly opposes. But Pakistan’s own actions could receive reprimands for the same reason.
India is bidding to host the 2036 Olympics among at least 10 nations including Hungary, Istanbul in Türkiye, Indonesia, Santiago in Chile, South Korea, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Egypt and South Africa are positioning for either 2036 or 2040 in their attempts to be the first-ever African hosts. The IOC has no set timeline for electing hosts but a preferred candidate could by named as early as 2026.
The Indian Olympic Association is already on notice from the IOC for governance issues and the Olympic Solidarity payment – a share of the Olympics revenue used to help support sport in the nation – is being withheld until the problem is resolved. Pakistan’s grievance could reveal India’s government interreference in cricket and breach the IOC Charter rule for strict autonomy of sports organizations.
In March the IOC is set to elect a new President to replace outgoing Thomas Bach, and the incumbent will have a big influence on how this and other issues are handled to a resolution.
