The Indian Express: To rival WSH, Hockey India plans ‘official’ league

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To rival WSH, Hockey India plans ‘official’ league

Uthra G Chaturvedi

Cricket’s famous IPL vs ICL battle of the past is expected to be played out on the hockey turf in the near future. Secretary general Narinder Batra has revealed that Hockey India is planning to float a domestic league with a franchise model and international players next year that will rival the Indian Hockey Federation backed World Series Hockey that starts on February 29.

Batra said the new league will be supported by FIH. “We are already in talks with the FIH and things are nearing the final stage. Our league will be a permanent window on the annual international calendar. FIH will ensure that there will be no international action during that time. That means the best players from across the world will be free to participate in the league that will most likely be held in January-February 2013,” Batra said.

An official announcement for the same is likely in a couple of days. Batra said the league would be an eight-team event and went on to add that they wouldn’t be putting pressure on players to quit WSH and join their venture. “We are all for players’ betterment. They are free to make their decisions,” he said. If the HI-backed league does take off and top international players are part of it, WSH will have real competition at hand next year.

Meanwhile, the presence of Team India players in this edition of WSH is still not clear. It is learnt that few of the players, who are presently involved in the Olympic qualifiers, haven’t yet got the installment (40 per cent of the contract amount) that they were to get a week before the WSH kicks off. Yannick Colaco, COO of Nimbus Sports, co-organisers of the WSH, said that those players who have reported for training have got their cheques.

“Those in the national team right now simply have to send in a letter confirming their participation in WSH and saying that they will join their respective teams after the Olympic qualifiers. The moment they join their teams, they will get their money,” Colaco said