K. ARUMUGAM
Thiery Weil, the CEO of the FIH has informed that the winners of the FIH Pro League will directly qualify for the future Olympics and World Cup. Winners of Season 5 (2023-24) & 6 (2024-25) will qualify for the 2026 World Cup while Seasons 7 & 8 for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Season 4 (2023 – 24) for men commences from October 28 (Bhubaneswar, India) while for the women from Nov 4.
By taking the far reaching decision to add Olympic/World Cup booster, it seems the FIH pitches the promotion of the Pro League as its future property. It has obviously shed its initial phase of wavering. Its survival and economic sustainability were doubted in the first three seasons.
Major rules were also changed. For instant, in the first season only a match was held in a venue and then the double header was put in place to reduce cost. With three seasons already over, the FIH is perhaps in a better position as to its future. Now, its certain the Pro League is going to be the future property of the FIH.
Another significant decision announced by the CEO include introduction of relegation and promotion in the Pro-League. The last placed team Pro League team will henceforth be replaced with the winner of the newly introduced Nations Cup.
In effect, the last placed team of the Season 4 will miss out Season 5.
Though names of the tournament changed, it seems the old pattern of Champions Trophy and Champions Challenge, repeat. Since 2001 the winner of the Champions Challenge replaced last placed team of the previous Champions Trophy team.
Till 2006, top 6 or 8 teams played a Champions Trophy with the last placed team replaced with the winners of the six-nation Champions Challenge (later Champions Challenge I).
Australian men won the first FIH Pro League title
It was also revealed that Hockey India has taken baby steps to introduce Hockey India League, which was last held in 2017. Weil has informed that the newly elected president Dilip Tirkey has sent a communication with regard to this.
“I got a communication….2,3 days back….they have asked us to look into the possibility of a FIH window to plan their league so that it will not clash with other FIH tournaments”, said the CEO.
Dilip Tirkey said after the first Hockey India Executive Committe meeting that revival of the HIL is one of his priorities. He said, I also believe there is sope to revive the erstwhile Hockey India League and we also discussed the potential in starting a league on similar lines for women”.
India has made its interest in HIL for both men and women, which is a welcome step. Hugely popular HIL was a super hit among hockey fraternity, it was stopped in 2017 with the announcement that it will restart in two years’ time. However, it was allowed a slow death. However, there cannot be two opinions as to the importance of a domestic league for improving the profile of the sport in India.
Hope Dilip Tirkey, who mentored one of the HIL team, and also winning captain of the first PHL (Premier Hockey League, first domestic league in India) is able to translate his vision into a reality.