World Series Hockey faces backlash

FIH refuses to recognise event, parallel body.

LAHORE:

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has refused to recognise the proposed World Series Hockey to be held in India as it is being organised by the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF).

In a statement, the FIH declared the IHF an unrecognised body in India with only Hockey India (HI) authorised to hold official tournaments being the sole national governing body for the sport in India.

“The FIH would like to restate that it has not changed its position on World Series Hockey,” read an FIH statement. “It remains an unsanctioned event as per FIH Statutes and Bye-Laws.

Pakistan players were also believed to be participating in the event and when contacted no official of the Pakistan Hockey Federation was available for comment.

Indian stars in row over leaving camp

Indian field hockey was hit by a fresh controversy as five top players faced disciplinary action after leaving a training camp to attend a function organised by a rival federation.

Adrian D’Souza, Arjun Halappa, Sandeep Singh, Sardara Singh and Prabhjot Singh skipped a camp on Thursday in Bangalore without permission to attend the launch of the lucrative World Series Hockey in Mumbai.

They are among 176 players, including 40 foreigners from top hockey-playing nations, set to take part in the $3million series, starting on December 15.

“This is indiscipline and highly condemnable, no player is bigger than the nation,” said former captain Pargat Singh, who is also the disciplinary panel chief of HI. “My personal opinion is that strictest action should be taken against them. The final say will be with the ministry and HI executive board.”

The eight-team franchise-based series is a joint venture of the IHF and Nimbus Sport. But the IHF and HI are currently locked in a bitter tussle to run the game within India.

The sports ministry has called a meeting on July 25 between the rival bodies to resolve the issue. (With additional INPUT from AFP)





Published in The Express Tribune, July 23^rd, 2011.