‘It has to be a unified Indian body’

Special Correspondent

FIH President Leandro Negre (right) and IOA Secretary-General Randhir Singh addressing the media in New Delhi on Thursday.

NEW DELHI: The president of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) Leandro Negre assured full support for India for the World Cup to be staged here next year, but suggested that the process could be smooth with a duly elected unified body governing the game in the country.

Addressing his first press conference as the FIH president in Asia, the former goalkeeper of Spain who had competed in the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, recalled his close association with Indian hockey, his visit to the former IOC member Ashwini Kumar’s house and his friendship with the Indian goalkeeper Muneer Sait.

”Right from the beginning we have maintained our full support for the World Cup in India, and full support to Indian hockey. The internal affairs has to be sorted in Indian hockey. We want India to have a unified body. We hope that the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) will find a solution to the situation, to have an elected body before the World Cup. We have been assured that the whole process would be completed in six months from now”, said the FIH president.

He talked straight from the heart, as a true sportsman, even as he emphasised that he was not a politician and quickly excused himself from politically loaded questions, particularly with regard to the uncertainties about Pakistan competing in India.
Same situation

”My heart is with Indian hockey. One year ahead, we can have a fantastic World Cup. We will help but not interfere. It will not be possible to have the World Cup without having a unified body”, said Negre.

Dismissing the concerns about security, and the point that some of the countries may have expressed apprehensions about visiting the Indian sub-continent for the World Cup to be staged in Delhi in March 2010, the FIH president categorically stated that the situation was the same all over the world, and that the hosts would give complete assurance about strong security arrangements in writing in due course of time.

Plan ’B’ in place

Despite expressing faith about India delivering the best World Cup ever, with a matching performance from its team, the FIH delegation was very polite in stating that plan ’B’ was in place and that Malaysia was very prepared to hold the event, just in case it failed to take off in India.

”Am sure that it will not happen. We expect India to host the World Cup very well and also a fantastic performance from the Indian team”, he said.

The secretary general of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), Randhir Singh, recalled that he was a shooter in the 1968 Olympics when Negre was a goalkeeper for Spain. He hinted at the quick passage of time and the change of fortune of Indian hockey by saying that Spain had an Indian coach then in 1968, and that India was close to finalising a Spanish coach now.

The Chairman of the ad hoc committee, Mohammed Aslam Khan assured that the process of finalising the foreign coach for the Indian team was nearing completion as a final offer had recently been made to Jose Manuel Brasa of Spain.
Help in revival

The FIH vice president Antonio Von Ondarza said that world hockey was concerned about India, and that the FIH had a fresh project just to help in the revival of hockey in India and to help the eight-time Olympic champion deliver the results in the next few years.

Meanwhile, the FIH president emphasised that the numerous rule changes were made to ensure more play than stoppages, so that hockey could be better on television and attract the youth of the world.

The FIH delegation was scheduled to return on Thursday night, with a promise to make frequent visits, with the next planned by the end of May.‘It has to be a unified Indian body’