Hockey India withdraws from 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games due to discriminatory quarantine rules

Hockey India's move comes a day after England pulled out of the FIH Men's Junior World Cup to be held in Bhubaneswar next month, citing a number of COVID-related concerns and taking "note" of the Indian government's mandatory 10-day quarantine protocol for all UK nationals.

India on Tuesday pulled out of next year's Birmingham Commonwealth Games'' hockey competition, citing COVID-19 concerns and UK''s discriminatory quarantine rules for travellers from the country.

Hockey India President Gyanandro Ningombam communicated the federation's decision to Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President Narinder Batra.

Hockey India reasoned that there is only a 32-day window available between Birmingham Games (July 28-August 8) and the Hangzhou Asian Games (September 10-25) and it can’t risk sending its players to the UK which has been one of the worst affected countries by the coronavirus pandemic.