MHA aiming to host ties in World Series Hockey

MUMBAI: Mumbai Hockey Association is aiming to host eight or nine matches of the proposed World Series floated by the Indian Hockey Federation in association with Nimbus Sport later this year.

“We want to host eight to nine games of the proposed World Series Hockey. We are awaiting the green signal from the Maharashtra government for getting the grant for laying the new artificial turf,” said MHA secretary Gurbax Singh Grewal at a media conference on Thursday.

“We expect the grant to be okayed soon and once we receive it, we can lay the new turf in two months. The foundation is already there. We have to change the water pipes for the sprinklers as they are 20 years old,” said the Olympian.

Grewal downplayed the threats issued by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) to players not to take part in the WSH that has been promoted by IHF as the world body recognises the rival Hockey India and has chalked out plans to start its own global league.

“Nobody can stop players from playing hockey. The series is on,” said Grewal.

The proposed WSH, to be held in a period of two and a half months between November-December, 2011 and February, 2012, was announced by IHF and Nimbus in December last. But since then there has been no word.

Grewal said that MHA has already got the lease for occupying its current premises extended by 15 years but were fighting a court case to increase it to 32 years as has been done by the state government in the case of the Western India Football Association.