Bhubaneswar, In a bid to promote hockey and reach to maximum countries the International Hockey Federation (FIH) had adopted three different policy in their executive committee meeting held on Friday.
To attract more youth from different countries into hockey, FIH took the decision to introduced the 5-A-Side hockey format.
FIH CEO Thierry Weil expressed it is not a new format nor to abolish the traditional 11-A-Side format. The some of the FIH affiliated countries are playing the 5-A-Side format. In this context FIH will floor the new format in the month of February 2019.
In another decision, it was felt that the junior players should get better international exposure to prove their mettle.
As per the earlier practice the FIH use to host Hockey Junior World Cup every four year as of the inception of the Tournament since 1979, But from the 2019 calendar onwards the Junior World Cup to be held in every two years, added Weil.
FIH is having 134 affiliated countries in five different continents. A simplified ranking system will be introduced soon with one parameter, collect points by playing matches, Weil said. In future the effort will take to reduce the Hockey World Cup schedule from three weeks to two weeks.
Regarding Indian Hockey team chief coach Harendra Singh’s comments on the referee decision during the quarterfinal match against Netherlands on Thursday post match Press Meet, the FIH CEO strongly said that it was not at all fare to blame the officials, one day you lose and one day you win matches, when you lost the match, we should graceful accept the fact, no way FIH accept such alligation in any form.
FIH president said, “I kept reserve my comments in this regard and I will give it on December 17 after the completion of the Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup.”
He thanked the Orisha Government for hosting such beautiful tournament.