New Delhi: Despite failing to win a place in the Champions Trophy after finishing seventh in Athens Olympics, India have been asked to stay prepared for a last minute call up by the international hockey federation (FIH).

The FIH has communicated to the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) to be ready for the six-nation event, to be held in Lahore in December, in case any of the teams decline the invitation or withdraw at the last moment.

Confirming this, IHF secretary general K. Jyothikumaran said that a response in this regard has already been sent to the FIH.

?We got a communication from the FIH on Saturday which asked us to be ready for the event in case any team did not accept the invitation or withdrew at the last moment,? Jyothikumaran said. ?They have kept us as the first reserve and we have already conveyed that we are ready for the tournament.?

India missed a berth in the Champions Trophy after Australia, Holland, Germany, Spain and New Zealand got autotomatic qualification for the event by virtue of their performance in the Athens Olympics.

Pakistan qualified as the hosts though they also finished in the top-six of the competition. FIH?s communication to IHF comes in the wake of news reports that Australia and New Zealand may pull out of the competition citing security concerns.

Hockey Australia chief executive Lyndon Adamson recently said he had asked the organisers for details of security plans after some team members expressed reservations about touring Pakistan. His statement followed the Australian government renewing its warning to nationals to avoid all non-essential travel to Pakistan for security reasons. Australian cricketers have previously pulled out of a tri-series and Test series in Pakistan on security grounds.

New Zealand Hockey Federation also said that they were consulting the Australians and the world governing body about playing in the tournament.

In 2002, New Zealand?s cricket team left Pakistan after a bomb blast outside their hotel in Karachi killed 15 people.