Security on FIH chief’s agenda
Times of India

NEW DELHI: In this season of pull-outs, the members of Indian hockey’s adhoc committee are keeping their fingers crossed as they prepare to welcom
e the president of the International Hockey Federation (FIH), Leandro Negre, early next week. Negre will be visiting India for the first time since assuming office in November last year, primarily to take stock of the preparations for the 2010 World Cup and to assess the security arrangements being planned for the mega event.

They have not said it in as many words, but the adhoc committee members are apprehensive in the wake of a series of pullouts by foreign teams from events taking place in India, most of them due to security concerns.

The issue will surely come up for discussion when FIH president meets top hockey and sports officials of the country during his three-day visit. “I am looking forward to see with my own eyes how the preparations for the FIH World Cup are going. I am sure I will come back with positive results from this trip,” Negre said in a statement.

A member of the adhoc committee agreed that the recent pullouts might have sent wrong signals abroad. But he added that with almost a year to go for the March 7-20 event, it would be too early to jump the gun on security. “We are pretty positive that things will go in right direction during Negre’s visit. I don’t think security should be a big issue,” the member said.