FIH’s firm no to WSH, threatens players openly
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Following is the official press release of the FIH, which threatens players against participation in the proposed WSH.
On January 24, the FIH sent a letter to all its member national associations regarding a reported new hockey league in India. Below is the letter in which the FIH explains its stance in regards to the proposed World Series of Hockey.
Major newspapers in India have reported on a new Indian hockey league, namely World Series of Hockey (WSH), proposed as a joint venture between the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) and Nimbus, a sports marketing agency. The IHF was a member of the Indian Hockey Confederation (IHC). The IHC’s membership of the FIH was withdrawn some 2 years ago for failure to comply with the FIH Statutes. Subsequently, Hockey India (HI) was formed and was formally admitted as a member of the FIH at the 2008 Congress. HI is now the only body governing hockey in India recognised by the FIH and the Indian Olympic Association.
FIH has received reports from some national associations (NAs) that some of their players have been approached from agencies supposing to represent franchises that will participate in the new league.
FIH states the following:
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FIH does not recognize the WSH.
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FIH notes that matches in the WSH may conflict with FIH major events, which may compromise an athlete’s participation in their national team program.
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Any player and any NA that participates in the WSH may render that player and NA ineligible to participate in any FIH tournament, including Olympic Qualifying tournaments and the Olympic Games.
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No player and no NA should accept any involvement in the WSH without first consulting the CEO of FIH, Kelly Fairweather.
FIH also advises that we have been working with Hockey India for some time (several months before the announcement of the WSH) to establish a professional league in India. This new league will carry the endorsement of the FIH and HI. FIH expects to make a further announcement after the meeting of the Executive Board to be held in the first week of March, 2011.
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is this true. only this site writes like this. wish wsh taks places, players and the game benefit. when will fih’s league will come in India. now players should conduct the league on their own.
The motivations for FIH’s stern warning to all players and NA’s to stay away from the WSH series is obvious. Name of the game is the huge revenues they can already smell in this hugely popular sport in the Indian market with world class players participating from all over the world. They want their slice of this lucrative cake.
However by issuing this ominous edict with dire warnings attached- they are faced with the proverbial catch-22 situation. After all, the IHF is the judicially recognized body authorized to organize the sport in the country. And the WSH series will certainly bring the sport to so many different venues across the country and to millions of viewers on TV as well. It will also provide financial rewards to its stars- between 40-50 lakhs each annually projected-not to mention visibility to foreign (read European) club teams and possibilities of playing contracts.
And what is wrong with providing the superstars of the sport with a means to earn a decent living in the sport they have served so tirelessly all their lives.
Can the FIH spell “anti-trust”?? There are laws to protect against exactly such high-handed moves.
Sit back folks, we have a circus on our hands, a la Kerry Packers of the 1980’s- and you all have a ring side seat.