All teams participating in World Cup: Hockey India
NEW DELHI: Hockey India on Monday brushed aside speculations over foreign teams pulling out of the forthcoming World Cup due to security concerns and said all the 11 nations have confirmed their participation in the mega-event starting on February 28.
“We are fully geared up to host the Hero Honda FIH World Cup competition here from February 28 to March 13, 2010. Each of the 11 teams from overseas has confirmed participation,” HI secretary general Narinder Batra said in a statement.
“Australia and Pakistan teams have already arrived in India and the other teams have intimated their arrival schedule as well. Technical officials from overseas have also started arriving. All this augurs well for the success of the competition,” he said.
The statement assumes significance as New Zealand player Simon Child has decided to pull out of the World Cup, even though Hockey New Zealand (HNZ) said it was satisfied with the arrangements made by the Indian government.
Batra claimed all the overseas teams were satisfied with the security arrangements made for the mega-event.
“The security arrangements were reviewed last week by the International Security Liaison Group in a meeting with the representatives of Heads of Missions of 11 nations in India.
“There is a strong commitment from the authorities’ to implement robust security measures to ensure the safety of the teams and officials at all times. Delhi Police will keep the people at large informed,” Batra said in the statement.
Batra also said that the stage is all set for hosting a successful and incident free World Cup.
“The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has designated marketing and event management company Commune Sports and Entertainment to assist in the organisation of the World Cup. The Indian Olympic Association and Organising Committee of 2010 Commonwealth Games have lent total support to ensure that the event is organised in a befitting manner.
“The redesigned Dhyan Chand National Stadium is fully operational and ready to stage the World Cup. The necessary technical arrangements, including the installation of video scoreboards and the goalposts, have been made. A number of volunteers, both sport-specific and general, have been identified and trained,” the statement read.
Batra was also happy with the sale of tickets for the mega event.
“As far as the sale of tickets is concerned, we are happy that it has been progressing well. Tickets have been made available online and have been on sale in many Cafe Coffee Day and other outlets in the Capital. There has been brisk sale of tickets,” he said.