Times Of India:
PANAJI: Hockey was shunted into the inside sports pages of Indian newspapers at the last World Cup in Moenchengladbach, Germany, in 2006. This time
around, it is in danger of being reduced to ‘news in brief’.
The Indian Premier League (IPL), it was reported, will be held from March 12 to April 25 next year thereby ending a mere five days before the T20 World Cup in the West Indies.
The two huge cricket events along with their build-ups are expected to dwarf the Hockey World Cup (March 7 to 20) in New Delhi even as it received a huge financial boost in terms of a new sponsor (Hero Honda), which will pump in more than a million dollars for the event.
The Federation Internationale de Hockey (FIH), however, doesn’t appear to be pressing any panic buttons. “We are in contact with the Indian Olympic Association, sports ministry and the IPL to find the best possible solution,” said Arjen Meijer, FIH communications manager, when contacted by TOI.
“If it is necessary to shift a couple of days, this can be done,” he said in a communique.
If dates for hockey’s ultimate event change, it won’t be the first time. The FIH adjusted dates at the 2002 World Cup in Kuala Lumpur ahead of the Formula One Grand Prix at Sepang.
It worked well for fans of either sport and TV footage showed a few Ferrari flags go up when Germany did a victory lap after beating Australia in the final.
An enterprising touch by the organisers of the New Delhi World Cup could convert an unfavourable situation into a positive one by luring fans of both cricket and hockey, especially from England (should they qualify), to India — two for the price of one and a bit!