2016 FIH Hockey Stars Awards: No Pakistanis in running for honours

But two Indians have made it to the list

KARACHI: None of the Greenshirts made it to the list of players nominated for the 2016 Hockey Stars Awards by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) at the Hockey Revolution Conference in Dubai yesterday.

The sport’s world governing body, through these awards, recognises the best players, goalkeepers, rising stars, coaches and umpires in any given calendar year.

FIH Athletes’ Committee, Continental Federations, coaches and media have together selected five male and as many female nominees for each award.

All awards are based on players’ performances at international events during 2016 as well as their overall contribution to the sport.



An online vote, open to the public, and a peer vote from international athletes will be taken to decide the winners, who will be named early next year.

While no Pakistan player was named among the nominees, two Indian players made it to the list. Raveendran Sreejesh is in the running for the Goalkeeper of the Year award, whereas Harmanpreet Singh is vying for the Rising Star of the Year title.

Elsewhere, Gonzalo Peillat (Argentina), John-John Dohmen (Belgium), Moritz Furste (Germany), Tobias Hauke (Germany) and Pedro Ibarra (ARG) have been shortlisted for the Player of the Year award.



Batra of India elected FIH President

Hockey India President Narinder Batra was elected the new FIH president in Dubai yesterday after beating Ireland’s David Balbirnie and Australia’s Ken Read for the coveted job.

Batra won 68 votes out of a total of 118, while Balbirnie and Read got 29 and 17 votes respectively.

He succeeds Spain’s Leandro Negre, who had been the FIH chief since 2008.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 13^th, 2016.

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