Indians, Pakistanis bring hockey fever to Greece 
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| India |
August 15, 2004
Yahoo! India News
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Ahmed Walid hasn't cheered his home team in a stadium for the last seven years so by the end of Pakistan's opening hockey match at the Olympics, he was hoarse.
"I've been looking forward to today for months. To see our boys here in Greece -- it's something I couldn't dream of," the 42-year-old croaked as his friends shouted in glee at another speedy attack on the field.
Like many other venues, the hockey stadium has hosted just a smattering of spectators in the last two days but on Sunday the stands were packed with Pakistanis and Indians overjoyed at the chance to see their teams take on Germany and Holland.
Rajiv Singh, wearing an Indian flag around his neck and a Greek flag around his waist, put it down to pent up frustration among the thousands of immigrants in Athens.
"We always played cricket and hockey at home but here it is just football, football, football," the restaurant owner said.
"We joined in with the celebration when Greece won Euro 2004 but this feels like home. People talk about hostility between Pakistan and India but here tonight we're like one big family enjoying a meal after fasting. It's great," he said.
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