FIH now eyes new frontier
OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
New Delhi: International Hockey Federation (FIH) is planning to launch a franchisee-based professional league in India in 2013, according to federation president Leandro Negre.
Stating that India proved their organisational skills with the successful hosting of the 2010 World Cup and the Commonwealth Games, the FIH boss said India will play host to five major international hockey events from 2011 to 2014.
India have been given hosting rights of the Champions Trophy (December 3 to 11), men’s and women’s Olympic Qualifiers (February 12 to 26, 2012), men’s and women’s World Junior World Cups in 2013, men’s World League Finals in 2013 and the women’s Champions Trophy in 2014. The franchisee-based professional league will be followed by the World Club championships, which will also be held in India in 2013, Negre said.
Interestingly, former Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) president KPS Gill was the first person to start a city-based Professional Hockey League (PHL) in India, which was not revived after the formation of Hockey India (HI).