New Delhi: Indian athletes will be free to decide whether to shake hands or exchange pleasantries with Pakistani athletes during the CWG, but the possibility of accepting gifts or favors from athletes from the neighboring country has been ruled out, TOI has learnt.With the Indian and Pakistani delegations mostly staying in the same hotels under Glasgow’s “zoning” accommodation system rather than the traditional athletes’ village concept, interaction between athletes from the two countries during the Olympics is expected to be inevitable.It is understood that Indian sports officials discussed the issue in Glasgow as part of internal deliberations with the team. While accepting gifts or gifts from Pakistani athletes is expressly prohibited, decisions on handshakes and pleasantries depend on the athlete’s personal judgment and, in some cases, guidance from the respective National Sports Federation (NSF). The authorities have yet to issue formal instructions on the matter.For example, in athletics, Indian javelin throwers Neeraj Chopra Interaction between the two was made possible by staying at the same hotel in Sector 3 as Pakistan’s defending CWG champion Arshad Nadeem before the tournament.However, different movements have taken different approaches. It is understood lawn bowls officials told Indian players that there was no problem shaking hands, high-fiving or exchanging pleasantries with their Pakistani counterparts. Several other National Science Foundations have expressed similar sentiments.India’s approach to sports cooperation with Pakistan has long distinguished between bilateral competitions and cross-border events. Although bilateral sports relations remain suspended, athletes from both countries continue to compete against each other in international comprehensive sports events. In cricket, Indian and Pakistani players have in recent years avoided the custom of shaking hands before and after matches. In contrast, youth hockey teams from both countries high-fived after their Sultanate Cup match in Johor.
