IPL-style hockey series refused

FIH claims that they do not recognise World Series of hockey.

NEW DEHLI: Hockey’s governing body refused permission for a new multi-million-dollar world series in India modelled on the popular Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket tournament. The Indian television company Nimbus and the unrecognised Indian Hockey Federation were planning the World Series of Hockey (WSH) to start in November or December this year.

They hoped to attract the world’s top stars to play for cash-rich franchises for hefty sums of money, like the three-season-old IPL Twenty20 event that revolutionised cricket. The Swiss-based International Hockey Federation (FIH) said it was concerned at reports that players were being contacted by WSH agents and threatened to ban anyone associated with the initiative.

“The FIH does not recognise the WSH,” said the governing body in a statement. “Any player and any association that participates in it may render both ineligible to participate in any FIH tournament.” Matches in the World Series may conflict with major FIH events, which may compromise an athlete’s participation in their national team’s programme.

The FIH said it was already working towards starting a professional league in collaboration with Hockey India, the official body running the sport in the country.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 28^th, 2011.