Our baby, World Cup, has come home

The World Cup comes home, India.

The idea of hockey having its own World Cup germinated in India. In the mid-60s, it’s a handful of Indian journalists who mooted and advocated hockey to have its own baby, the World Championship.

Any official souvenirs of every major tournament of those days – Beighton Cup, Aga Khan Cup, Bombay Gold Cup, Scindia Gold Cup, now dysfunct Dhyan Chand Cup – all have articles on this line.

Therefore, it was fitting when the FIH congress reluctantly discussed the World Cup idea in 1969, the Indian official present there SM Sait — who was in the forefront of making hockey having its own asset like World Cup – had mentioned the origin of world cup concept.

This is what the official magazine of the FIH had to say with regard to this:
….. SM Sait of India, strongly supported the proposal and pointed that the idea of World Championship had originated in an Indian hockey magazine. India, he said, had intended to put forward World Cup plan themselves and they too would be prepared to stage the inaugural championships…..”

SM Sait – not to be confused with Olympian Munir Sait – from Bangalore was a judge by profession, and served long years as Secretary General of Indian hockey.

In a couple of years since this FIH meeting, the World Cup took shape, despite strong opposition from some western countries including England and Germany.

This is what has been reported in one of the publications of those times: “Paul Reinberf of West Germany was one of the few who spoke against the proposal (World Cup). He said that hockey was becoming obsessed with competition and he feared that soon there would be no time for any friendly internationals, that nations would no longer have the opportunity to choose any of their opponents.

All these rebels have been cajoled not to reject this, and they were told participation of world cup is not necessary for every country.

That the same Germany is the favourite here in Delhi, and are on the verge of making it a hat-trick of titles is another story — and how things change with times. Europeans were known conservatives in those times even they opposed European Cup, for which Germany did not enter.

The point is, as both Pakistan and India wanted the first world cup at home, as both offered the same terms, there was dilemma for long before it was allotted to Pakistan because, they were then the reigning champions of both the Olympics and the Asian Games. By virtue of Asian Champions, Pakistan was then heading the Asian Hockey Federation.

As a quid pro quo, India was given the choice of hosting the next world cup, as if some sort of rotation of venue is in order.

India bid for the third edition, which was allotted to Mumbai but due to internal fights between Delhi and Mumbai Hockey Associations, it had to be ultimately shifted to Kuala Lumpur, where India won the title.

So, the both countries who are behind the World Cup could not host the World Cups, it is an irony.

The point here is, many now credit Pakistan for the World Cup, and anybody who went by the records will vouchsafe the role played by India.

Now that India, which parented the Cup, is hosting it.

It’s like a daughter going to her husband’s home after marriage, and then in a glorious occasion coming back to her parental home.

This is how World Cup, having been given a trophy by Pakistan, and then held across all continents, comes back to India, its original home.

Welcome World Cup. We love our daughters, and now we have created the world’s best home – Major Dhyan Chand National stadium – for you.

Like you, your parents also prospered. When you come home in the early 80s, we have to celebrate you in a cricket stadium.

Now we have also grown, we have raised a marvel of hockey stadium in Delhi.

We will relish your stay with us for the next 15 days.

How nice it will be if you would wish to stay with us forever, with your extended family.

Even if not, we will have the ambition of being with you in the best company of you.

Welcome World Cup 2010.