Dubai backs off as Asia Cup host
S. Thyagarajan
Chennai: Dubai has backed out from hosting the Asia Cup hockey championship scheduled from May 8 to 15. While no specific reason is attributed to the sudden withdrawal, one of the reasons inferred is the current economic recession.
The United Arab Emirates was awarded the event for the first time during the council meeting of the Asian Hockey Federation at Hyderabad, with the aim of setting up a base for the growth of hockey in the Gulf region.
But the recent development has put an enormous strain on the administrators in finding a new host possessing the required infrastructure to step in and conduct the event preferably in the same period.
Malaysia is ready
A five-member committee with the AHF Secretary-General, Tansri Alagendra, as convenor, has been constituted to work on the modalities and suggest new dates, if need be.
It is understood that Malaysia has agreed in principle to play host and moves are afoot to finalise the dates.
Coming as the Asia Cup does close on the heels of the Sultan Azlan Shah Trophy tournament, at Ipoh from April 6 to 12, the AHF is taking all steps to ensure that the participating Asian countries — India, Pakistan and Malaysia — enjoy sufficient preparation time in between.
The Asia Cup will determine the qualifiers for the next World Cup to come off in New Delhi.
FIH concerned
Meanwhile, at the FIH Executive meeting at Lausanne last month, serious concerns were expressed over several loose ends causing uncertainties over India coming up with clear and transparent explanations on the issue of hosting the World Cup.
The time taken to form and formulate the norms for establishing the proposed Hockey India, combining the men and women federations under its banner in place of the present Indian Hockey Confederation, continues to be an irritant with the FIH.
The complexities involved in an exercise of this magnitude need no over elaboration.
The FIH meeting authorised the FIH President, Leandro Negre, to visit India in the first fortnight of April and assess the prevailing situation.
What the FIH wants India to accomplish within this time-frame remains a big question mark, given the confusion prevailing from the recent court verdict as also from the demand of several units to wind off the ad hoc committee and form a constitutionally governed Indian Hockey Federation.
The Indian Olympic Association is coming under more pressure to pay greater attention to hockey and its commitment towards hosting the World Cup as much as it is to hosting the Commonwealth Games with the security environment forming a major topic in some of the leading Commonwealth countries like Australia.
The FIH has agreed to the suggestion mooted by the Asian Hockey Federation to revive the Inter-Continental championship.
To be named as Continental Classic, it will be held within three months after the conclusion of the Olympic Games.
The competition, involving all the five continental teams, was held in 1990 at Kuala Lumpur where Asia won the cup under the leadership of Pargat Singh. The AHF also endorsed the World Club Championships to come off in Barcelona.