Hockey conscious India gets lion’s share of FIH events

India gets a bonanza of sorts getting valuable tournaments allotted by the FIH. This hockey conscious country will stage almost all genres of major tournaments in the next four years including Junior World Cups, Champions Trophies, Olympic Qualifiers and a round of World Series. India got a lion’s share of tournaments for its soils when the FIH in its Congress yesterday decided the calendar for next four years.

During the course of the March World Cup,
FIH president Leondro Negri announced major tournaments for every year, and it looks he fulfilled his words now

Most heartening development in the sequence of allotment is inclusion of many events for women, a vastly potential but under-harnessed asset of India. Further, with some tournaments of 2014 yet to be decided for want of takers (?), India might chip in for a slice there also.

The grand success of both the World Cup and Commonwealth Games, where the enthusiastic crowd was the talking point, must have prompted the FIH to go for India kill.

The allotment of Olympic Qualifiers in 2012 is a great step, which will help India to get into the Olympic company in case Asian Games do not prove good enough. This is a godsend for Indian women, in particular, to resurrect themselves.

Meanwhile The Netherlands will host next men’s and women’s World cup at The Hague in 2004

Events that India got include

2011 FIH Men’s Champions Trophy – India, 26th November-4th December.
2012 Olympic Qualifiers men and women in February

2013 World Series Round 4: India (M) – 8-15 September
2013 Junior World Cup (M&W) – India, 2-17 November 2013
2014 FIH Women’s Champions Trophy – India, February

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) officially announced that The Netherlands will be the host nation for the Men’s and Women’s FIH World Cups in 2014. The decision was confirmed by the Executive Board and announced on Thursday evening at a special ceremony at the FIH Congress and Forum in Montreux, Switzerland.

“It was an incredibly difficult decision to make”, said FIH President Leandro Negre shortly after revealing the winner. “The bids from The KNHB and England Hockey were both outstanding, two of the best that we have ever seen. It was a very close decision, but we offer our congratulations to The Netherlands, who we are sure will stage an unforgettable double World Cup event. England Hockey’s bid has reinforced their importance as a partner for future FIH events, and we are keen to maximise the use of London 2012’s legacy facility.”

The Men’s and Women’s FIH World Cup will take place in The Hague between 2 – 15 June 2014.
As well as the tournament announcements, the ceremony also witnessed the signing of the new Memorandum of Understanding between the Continental Hockey Federations and the FIH. This is an extremely significant moment for hockey as it reinforces the importance of a close working relationship between the FIH and the five Continental Federations that play a crucial role in developing the game from grass roots to elite level and in ensuring hockey is a vibrant and sustainable sport in their regions and member countries. Memorandums of Understanding between the FIH and all five continental federations have been concluded to reinforce the importance of a close working relationship.

The FIH can also reveal the tournament cycle for the next four years. The following tournament allocations are proposed, subject to finalizing the contractual arrangements.

Tournaments 2011-2014.

2011

FIH Indoor World Cup – Poland, 8-13 February.
FIH Women’s Champions Trophy, The Netherlands, 25 June-3 July

FIH Men’s Champions Trophy – India, 26th November-4th December.

FIH Women’s Champions Challenge 1 – Ireland, 18/19 – 25/26 June

FIH Men’s Champions Challenge 1 – South Africa, Dates TBC

FIH Women’s Champions Challenge 2 – Austria, 8-14 May

FIH Men’s Champions Challenge 2 – France, 3-9 July

2012
FIH Olympic Qualifiers: Azerbaijan (W) TBC / Japan (M&W) – 25 April – 6 May / India (M&W) –
February / Final Men’s Qualifier location and date TBD.
World Series Rounds 1 & 2 – TBC

FIH Women’s Champions Trophy – Argentina, February

FIH Men’s Champions Trophy – Australia, June

Olympic Test Event – London, 2-6 May

London 2012 Olympic Games – 27 July – 12 August

2013

World Series Round 3: Pakistan (M) – February / Germany (M) – June / Netherlands (W) – June / China (W) – June

World Series Round 4: India (M) – 8-15 September / Argentina (W) – December

Junior World Cup (M&W) – India, 2-17 November 2013

2014

World Series Round 1 – Details TBC

FIH Men’s Champions Trophy – Argentina, February

FIH Women’s Champions Trophy – India, February

FIH Champions Challenge 1 – TBC

FIH Champions Challenge 2 – TBC

FIH Men’s & Women’s World Cup – The Netherlands, 2-15 June

World Series Round 2 – TBC

Youth Olympic Games – China, 16-28 August 2014.