New Delhi

The Dutch women’s hockey team has pulled out of its back-to-back FIH Pro League matches against India to be played in Bhubaneswar on February 19 and 20 due to rise in COVID-19 cases in the Netherlands, especially the highly contagious omicron variant of the infection.

The Royal Dutch Hockey Association (KNHB) said it has requested the International Hockey Federation (FIH) to postpone the matches to a later date. But, Hockey India on Thursday expressed surprise at the pulling out of the Dutch team.

“The KNHB medical committee issued a negative advice for intercontinental travel in January. This committee’s advice is based on the high number of omicron infections in the Netherlands,” the Dutch federation said in a statement.

“The trip to India would only last six days. This means that a possible infection in the Netherlands just before departure could lead to a positive test in India. The consequence of this could be, for example, a mandatory quarantine or having to postpone the return journey.”

Hockey India, on the other hand, expressed surprise at the development.

“Hockey India is quite surprised by the Netherlands decision to cancel their trip to India ... owing to the negative medical report given by the KNHB medical committee,” HI President Gyanendro Ningombam said.

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