Washington, DC : US State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said that the US State Department places significant emphasis on the role of sports diplomacy in connecting people and highlighted the importance of sports as a tool for building human-to-human ties.
During a regular press briefing on Thursday, Patel said that sports diplomacy has been a priority of the administration under the outgoing President Joe Biden and that it serves as a "potent and connecting force." Patel further reaffirmed the department's commitment to fostering relationships through sports.
"Sports is certainly a potent and connecting force. This department really prioritises the role that sports diplomacy has in connecting people. It is something that I know is incredibly important... At the end, sports connects so many people and is a great way for the human-to-human ties that this administration has prioritised," he said.
This remark came when the Deputy Spokesperson was asked about the recent reports that India will not be travelling to Pakistan, citing security concerns for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which is one of the major ICC events to take place just after the ICC T20 World Cup that was jointly hosted by the US and West Indies earlier this year.
Speaking on the relationship between India and Pakistan, Patel clarified that it is up to the two countries to address their bilateral issues, emphasising that the US would not intervene in that regard.
"As it relates to the relation between India and Pakistan, that is certainly for them to speak to... I will let them speak for their own bilateral relationship; certainly not something for us to get in the middle of," he said.
On Tuesday, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) wrote to the ICC seeking reasons behind India's refusal to travel to Pakistan to play the Champions Trophy, as reported by Geo News.
India conveyed its stance of not travelling to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy, citing security concerns.
ICC had recently conveyed to the PCB in writing that India won't travel to Pakistan to participate in the Champions Trophy, which will be held in early 2025. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has requested the ICC to conduct the match of the Indian Cricket Team on a hybrid model. India and Pakistan played their last bilateral series in 2012-13 in India, a white-ball series and now mostly play in ICC tournaments and the Asia Cup.