Negre’s last warning to HI

M.S.Unnikrishnan

Tribune News Service

International Hockey Federation (FIH) president Leandro Negre gave the final warning to Hockey India to hold the elections before May 1 this year to put its house in order lest face de-recognition from the International body.

He said there seemed to be some ego problems in holding a proper Hockey India elections, and the FIH was also aware of the court cases and many impediments in the way of holding the elections.

Negre asserted that the FIH was not concerned about these things and it wanted a proper unified hockey body in India by May end. The FIH chief also indicated that there was a proposal to have two wild cards for the Champions Trophy, which will be finalised in the FIH Executive Committee meeting to be held in Delhi over the next two days.

He said after 2012, the Champions Trophy will be made a biannual tournament as the world body had plans to squeeze in another tournament in the hockey calendar, probably a world series.

Negre said Holland and England have bid for the 2014 World Cup, and both preferred to hold the men’s and women’s World Cup together. He said the 12th edition of the World Cup in Delhi was a great success and the FIH was keen that Asia (read India) were represented in the FIH, but that can happen only if a duly elected Hockey India was put in place.

He said the FIH was keen to hold more international tournaments in this part of the world for giving the game a big boost, as Asia was a big market for the FIH financially and hockey-wise.