Hockey India announces new ‘IPL-style’ league

NEW DELHI: Hockey India upped the ante against the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) on Friday by announcing a new hockey league while claiming that IHF’s World Series Hockey is not sanctioned by the International Hockey Federation (FIH).

HI also chose to accuse a “desperate” IHF of indulging in an “anti-national” campaign.

This development comes at a time when efforts are on to clear the mess in the administration of the game. The warring parties are currently in talks with the Indian Olympic Association ( IOA) to work out a solution.

In a statement, HI said that its event, which will be held over a period of 45 days from 2013, will be under the aegis of FIH and warned “serious implications” for players and officials participating in the WSH.

“This event promoted by Indian Hockey Federation is unsanctioned by FIH and has serious implications for both players and officials who participate in this unsanctioned event,” said the statement. Strangely, FIH is believed to have given partial sanction to the event. The FIH had said a couple of months back that players could figure in the $3 million WSH provided they had no national or contractual obligations.

“FIH has been requested for a 45-day window in their calendar… The teams will be owned by franchisees and matches will be played on a home and away basis as in the IPL cricket format. This league shall be held annually,” HI said.

HI also took a swipe at the IHF calling India’s failure to qualify for the Olympics for the first time in 2008 as a “national catastrophe”.

“Now IHF is hell bent on sabotaging India’s qualification chances for the London Olympic Games in 2012. It is desperately trying to throw bait to woo the players and officials for the WSH, fully aware that this is an unsanctioned FIH event which attracts penalties and suspensions for violations. In addition, the dates for WSH League in December 2011-January 2012 have been deliberately kept, so that it clashes with the camps which will be in progress at this time in preparation for the Olympic Qualifiers,” HI said.