The Indian team’s efforts to participate in the upcoming Central Asian Volleyball Championship are still hanging in the balance, with the team yet to get approval from the government to travel to Pakistan for the clash.
The matches are set to be held in Islamabad from 22nd to 29th July, but the Indian Volleyball Federation has not officially confirmed its entry into the event.
The federation is awaiting a no objection certificate (NOC) from the Indian government, the sources said.
The Pakistan Volleyball Federation on its part, has already done the job by sending the NOC issued by the Pakistani government to the Volleyball Federation of India last week.
The decision has allowed India to have a presence, if the necessary approvals are made ahead of schedule.
But the tournament organisers have said that if teams want to be part of a tournament, they need to confirm their participation within the set time.
Provided this process is not completed within two days, India may be barred from the competition, due to the tournament rules.
The final tournament schedule will be published within the next two-to-three days after the list of teams has been confirmed, organisers said.
The regional event has so far been officially confirmed by Turkmenistan, Sri Lanka, Kazakhstan, Bangladesh and Nepal.
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Foreign teams are expected to arrive in Islamabad on July 20 before the start of the tournament.
The final stages of preparations for the championship are underway, including the venues, accommodation, logistics and team operations.
The event is anticipated to feature high-profile volleyball teams from around the Central and South Asian region, fostering the development of sporting relations and competition in the region.
Even with the advanced preparations, the biggest uncertainty that has yet to be addressed is whether India will participate or not, and organisers are still waiting for a response from Indian authorities.
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