GLOBAL ROUND UP:
As the rest of the world attempts to live with the Covid-19 pandemic, so does hockey. The sport is taking tentative steps towards normalcy but the future is still uncertain.
India’s national teams, men’s and women’s, took measured steps towards resuming activity. Turf was fumed, each player was tested for temperature before entering turf, they used hand sanitizers before entering the turf. This is what one saw when at the SAI complex, Bengaluru, the teams began outdoor training on June 1 after a two-month lockdown hiatus.
Precautionary measures against the virus were strictly adhered to. Players maintained safe distance while training besides using own bottles for hydration and changing stick grips. The teams adhered to the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) issued by the Sports Authority of India.
Precautionary measures against the virus were strictly adhered to. Players maintained safe distance while training besides using own bottles for hydration and changing stick grips. The teams adhered to the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) issued by the Sports Authority of India.
Government of India, which owns major infrastructure for sports, decided to open them. However, various state are wary. In Chennai, for instant, there is a grievance that Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium complex which caters to hockey, tennis and volleyball, is yet to open.
China, as noted by the FIH on its site in its ‘Play Hockey Stay Healthy’ feature stories is slowly resuming activity.
In an interview with the world body Liu Yuxiang, of the Chinese Hockey Association, talks about the resumption of hockey in certain areas in the country.
Yuxiang also revealed safety measures being taken to keep the dreaded Covid-19 at bay.
The Chinese official said that competitions could start in areas where Covid-19 risk is at a low level and a combination of six-a-side to full 11-a-side matches could be staged.
Online coaching clinics, umpiring courses as well as sport science seminars were also on the agenda, according to the official.
Like other walks of life, China imposes social distancing in training and administration of sport.
In an interview with the world body Liu Yuxiang, of the Chinese Hockey Association, talks about the resumption of hockey in certain areas in the country.
Yuxiang also revealed safety measures being taken to keep the dreaded Covid-19 at bay.
The Chinese official said that competitions could start in areas where Covid-19 risk is at a low level and a combination of six-a-side to full 11-a-side matches could be staged.
Online coaching clinics, umpiring courses as well as sport science seminars were also on the agenda, according to the official.
Like other walks of life, China imposes social distancing in training and administration of sport.
In Kazakhstan too, hockey is finding its feet amid the crisis.
The secretary general of the country’s hockey body Serik Kalimbaev told the FIH: “In this regard, positive moves have been made in Kazakhstan in relation to field hockey. We are now preparing for the championship in the region, which will be held in Taraz city in June.”
However, he made it clear that preventive measures – social distancing in the main — to protect the health of the players would be carefully followed.
“Although hockey is a team game, when training the children have been positioned seven or eight steps away from each other, thereby observing safety precautions,” Kalimbaev said.
Interestingly, the Kazakhs do not allow close contact among the players. Methods for giving passes are worked out and like most of the sporting world, they also practice online training with guiding instructions from a trainer.
Kalimbaev enthuses: “As they say, whoever is devoted to sport cannot be intimidated by corona virus.”
The secretary general of the country’s hockey body Serik Kalimbaev told the FIH: “In this regard, positive moves have been made in Kazakhstan in relation to field hockey. We are now preparing for the championship in the region, which will be held in Taraz city in June.”
However, he made it clear that preventive measures – social distancing in the main — to protect the health of the players would be carefully followed.
“Although hockey is a team game, when training the children have been positioned seven or eight steps away from each other, thereby observing safety precautions,” Kalimbaev said.
Interestingly, the Kazakhs do not allow close contact among the players. Methods for giving passes are worked out and like most of the sporting world, they also practice online training with guiding instructions from a trainer.
Kalimbaev enthuses: “As they say, whoever is devoted to sport cannot be intimidated by corona virus.”
This must be a message of hope even as the virus seems to be compelling everyone to a “new normal”.
Football, for one, is trying to work out a way for acceptance of a new mode to sporting contests.
La Liga and Bundesliga contests have resumed in front of empty stands.
But tackling is significantly reduced and it seems clear that players are fighting shy of physical contact.
Hockey is just a shade less physical than football. But the two sports’ similarities cannot be mistaken.
Hockey involves close contact, hard running and deep breathing. The threat of droplets causing infection is rife.
No offside induces diving deflections in attempts to score. And that often results in clash of bodies and combative situations on the pitch.
The FIH, however, declared that the resumption of competitive hockey depends on local conditions in member countries.
The world body asserted that any return to training and competitive hockey has to be “carefully implemented to prevent any resurgence in infection”.
According to a top FIH official said while a vaccine is needed to “return to normal competition”, restarting the sport at different levels is dependent on conditions in various member nations.
The FIH statement refuted reports which quoted the world body as saying hockey would resume only if a Covid-19 vaccine were to be developed.
Instead, the world body prepared a five-stage resumption plan that presented a framework on how hockey could resume.
The FIH, in doing so, reiterated that resumption of hockey activity entirely depends on instructions and guidelines of government of respective countries based on their current situation.
Meanwhile, Belgium and The Netherlands resumed hockey training after six weeks in hiatus last month.
World No. 1 Belgium men’s national team trained at the Sportcentrum Wilrijkse Plein in Antwerp, adhering to strict social distancing norms.
Players, who arrived and left the stadium separately, were asked to maintain a minimum distance of 1.5 metres during training.
In Amsterdam, the Dutch men’s and women’s teams returned to the turf at the Wegener Stadium, undergoing temperature checks.
The players were instructed to wash hands before and after training. Players were divided into groups of six in each half while maintaining three metres between themselves.
Football, for one, is trying to work out a way for acceptance of a new mode to sporting contests.
La Liga and Bundesliga contests have resumed in front of empty stands.
But tackling is significantly reduced and it seems clear that players are fighting shy of physical contact.
Hockey is just a shade less physical than football. But the two sports’ similarities cannot be mistaken.
Hockey involves close contact, hard running and deep breathing. The threat of droplets causing infection is rife.
No offside induces diving deflections in attempts to score. And that often results in clash of bodies and combative situations on the pitch.
The FIH, however, declared that the resumption of competitive hockey depends on local conditions in member countries.
The world body asserted that any return to training and competitive hockey has to be “carefully implemented to prevent any resurgence in infection”.
According to a top FIH official said while a vaccine is needed to “return to normal competition”, restarting the sport at different levels is dependent on conditions in various member nations.
The FIH statement refuted reports which quoted the world body as saying hockey would resume only if a Covid-19 vaccine were to be developed.
Instead, the world body prepared a five-stage resumption plan that presented a framework on how hockey could resume.
The FIH, in doing so, reiterated that resumption of hockey activity entirely depends on instructions and guidelines of government of respective countries based on their current situation.
Meanwhile, Belgium and The Netherlands resumed hockey training after six weeks in hiatus last month.
World No. 1 Belgium men’s national team trained at the Sportcentrum Wilrijkse Plein in Antwerp, adhering to strict social distancing norms.
Players, who arrived and left the stadium separately, were asked to maintain a minimum distance of 1.5 metres during training.
In Amsterdam, the Dutch men’s and women’s teams returned to the turf at the Wegener Stadium, undergoing temperature checks.
The players were instructed to wash hands before and after training. Players were divided into groups of six in each half while maintaining three metres between themselves.
Australia and New Zealand have suspended all activity but are planning a re-start.
New Zealand, planning a resumption of hockey, has introduced rules changes pertaining to precautionary measures to contain the virus.
Among those are a band on spitting and nose blowing – both of which will draw punitive action from the umpires. New Zealand Hockey has also advised against sharing of equipment like sticks, shin guards, gloves and notably face masks at penalty corners.
New Zealand, planning a resumption of hockey, has introduced rules changes pertaining to precautionary measures to contain the virus.
Among those are a band on spitting and nose blowing – both of which will draw punitive action from the umpires. New Zealand Hockey has also advised against sharing of equipment like sticks, shin guards, gloves and notably face masks at penalty corners.
The Corona virus pandemic has wreaked havoc on hockey, as it has on other sports.
The FIH Pro-League has been suspended and will be extended to June 2021.
And the 2020 Tokyo Olympics has been postponed by a year and is now scheduled for July 2021.
Covid-19 has killed over 400,000 globally and infected 7.5 million. India has suffered more than 8,000 deaths with over 300,000 infected.
The FIH Pro-League has been suspended and will be extended to June 2021.
And the 2020 Tokyo Olympics has been postponed by a year and is now scheduled for July 2021.
Covid-19 has killed over 400,000 globally and infected 7.5 million. India has suffered more than 8,000 deaths with over 300,000 infected.