FIH blames Indian agencies for delay in accreditation

M.S.Unnikrishnan

Tribune News Service

International Hockey Federation (FIH) communication manager Arjen Meijer asserted here today that the FIH was ready with the accreditation process for the Hero Hondia FIH World Cup Hockey Championship by December-January, but the delay occurred due to the road-block created by some Indian agencies. He refused to elaborate whether the security agencies, the Sports Authority of India or the Sports Ministry were responsible for the delays.

“But things were put on hold for one pretext or another”, he said. Earlier, at a function, Meijer was a cornered man as the media boycotted him and refused to listen to him, as they blamed the FIH for the delay in giving accreditation cards to journalists, and barring them access to the practice sessions of the teams at the National Stadium.

Meijer later promised that he would try to expedite the distribution of the media cards by tomorrow.

Meijer said this was the biggest World Cup Hockey Championship and 1300 journalists had applied for accreditation, including 200 to 300 foreign journalists, though only 350 media persons could be accommodated at the National Stadium. The media protest had its desired effect as the FIH arranged interaction with representatives of some of the foreign teams at the team hotel.

At the interaction, Eighteen-year-old Florian Fuchs of Germany, the babe of the 12th edition of the World Cup, said the defending champions were looking ahead at the prospect of recording a hattrick of titles wins. (Germany had won the title for the first time in 2002, and repeated the feat at home in 2006).

He said the team were well prepared as they had some matches against Australia and Spain before landing in Delhi. “We have a young, ambitious team”, he noted. Putting his team’s prospects at a reasonable level, Fuchs said: “We hope to be in the semis. Then anything can happen”. He rated Australia as a “very strong and fabulous team”.

“They have so many players who are very strong, solid. It’s not easy to play them. They are strong in offence and defence, as well”, said the baby-faced player, who would, perhaps be the youngest player in the World Cup, after he made his debut for Germany in November last year.