One event for men and women every year in India, says FIH

One of the major decisions of the Executive Board that met after the recent World Cup in Delhi pertains to India. The FIH has decided to allot one major international tournament for each men and women every year to India, and this is likely to be carried out for immediate four years.

The FIH hopes to garner as much commercial and television benefits out of these tournaments.

Now it is to be seen which tournament India would get, as rationalization of existing tournaments are also beind underway.

Meanwhile, the FIH leadership satisfied with Hero Honda FIH World Cup

The Executive Board of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) Board met in New Delh, India on 14 and 15 March 2010 at the end of a very good Hero Honda FIH World Cup. The Board was very pleased with the World Cup tournament.

The main agenda item of these fruitful meetings was on a new structure of the Executive Board to be presented at the next FIH Congress to be held in November 2010 in Montreux, Switzerland. The agreed structure calls for a reduction in the size of the Executive Board in order to focus on the strategy policy and direction of the FIH.

The Board also adopted the FIH Strategic Plan 2010 – 2016 and the five strategic priorities, i.e.

To triple FIH gross revenues in the period 2010 – 2016

To raise the profile of the FIH and of hockey worldwide

To enhance and rationalise the international competition schedule

To close the performance gap between top level playing nations and the rest by raising the world-wide level of play

To strengthen governance and coordination structures for the FIH and for hockey

The discussion on establishing a World Series competition as of 2012 progressed and proposals from committees of the FIH will be presented to the Executive Board at the next meeting in July 2010.

The Board also agreed in principle to allocate one tournament for men or women per year to India for the next four years and the FIH hopes to attract commercial and Television interest in these events.

The Board received reports from all FIH committees and Continental groups on the ongoing work within the FIH and as it relates to the new strategic plan.