India and Belgium in thrilling draw on Day Five of Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018

    December 02 | Story By FIH Bhubaneswar, India:India and Belgium played out a thrilling draw to remain level on points at the top of Pool C on Day Five of the Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018. The 2-2 score-line leaves India at the top of the pool on goal difference ahead of the Red Lions, with everything to play for going into the final round of matches on 8th December. The Pool C action began when South Africa (FIH Hero World Ranking: 15) and Canada (WR:11), two teams who were defeated on the opening day of competition, went head-to-head. South Africa dominated the opening period of their match against the Canadians and would have been ahead were it not for wonderful save from shot-stopper and Odisha Player of the Match David Carter, who gloved an Austin Smith penalty corner drag-flick onto his own crossbar. The African champions continued their supremacy in the second period but came close to falling behind, with James Kirkpatrick being denied by a good block from Rassie Pieterse. Canada’s resistance was finally broken near the end of the third period thanks to Nqobile Ntuli, who moved past Carter before crashing a backhand shot into the unguarded net. It was a lead that lasted just two minutes, with Canada captain Scott Tupper firing a penalty stroke past goalkeeper Gowan Jones, who had replaced Pieterse at half time. Canada’s Red Caribou frustrated their opponents in the final stages, with South Africa replacing their goalkeeper with an outfield in an attempt to claim all three points and boost their hopes of getting out of the pool. However, it was not to be, with Canada claiming a share of the spoils while South Africa were left to rue their missed opportunities. Speaking after the match, South African defender Austin Smith said: “We let ourselves down, and I feel pretty responsible for that with the corners. I thought we played better than Canada did, but when you get ten corners and don’t score any you don’t win hockey games. It’s frustrating and makes going through to the next round very difficult. I know mathematically it is possible, if we beat Belgium, but the overwhelming feeling is one of frustration.” A sensational atmosphere greeted the players of India (WR:5) and Belgium (WR3) as they walked out onto the turf at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium, with a sell-out 15,000 people packed into the venue to witness a key match in the race for a first place pool finish and the subsequent place in the quarter-finals that comes with it. The Red Lions had the best of the first quarter and got their reward eight minutes in, using a clever video referral to win a penalty corner that was clinically dispatched by Alexander Hendrickx. India had chances either side of the first quarter break, although a moment of inspiration from Tom Boon in the second quarter almost doubled the advantage when his improvised deflection hit the frame of the Indian goal. Much to the delight of the home crowd, India came out firing in the third quarter, piling pressure on the Rio 2016 Olympic silver medallists. Eventually the leveller arrived from the penalty spot, with a stroke being awarded after a goal-bound penalty corner effort hit the body of a Belgian player on the goal-line. Harmanpreet Singh proved to be the coolest man in the stadium, soaking up all the tension and channelling it into an effort that was hard and true, wrongfooting Belgium goalkeeper Vincent Vanasch to find the bottom left corner. The Kalinga Stadium erupted two minutes into the fourth and final quarter when Simranjeet Singh scored his third goal of the competition from close range, putting India very much in the driving seat for that crucial first place finish in the pool. It proved to be temporary, with Belgium replacing their goalkeeper with an outfield player to turn up the heat on the home favourites. It paid off four minutes from the end when Simon Gougnard slapped home an equaliser after a decisive Belgium move ripped through the Indian defence to complete the scoring. Commenting about the race to finish first in Pool C – a position currently held by the host nation on goal difference over today’s opponents – India Head Coach Harendra Singh was honest in his assessment. “I think it is wide open”, said Harendra. “With goal difference we are plus five and they are plus two, but it all comes down to that last game. We can forget about the two previous games, the next match is the one that will decide if we are in the quarter-final.” The action continues on Monday 3rdof December with the second round of Pool A matches taking place. At 1700 IST (UTC +5.30), Spain (WR:8) and France (WR:20) will aim to recover from their respective opening day defeats and get some crucially important points on the board. That match is followed by a clash between two teams who were victorious in their first matches, with New Zealand (WR:9) facing Olympic champions Argentina (WR:2) at 1900. Speaking ahead of his team’s meeting with Argentina match, Black Sticks Head Coach Darren Smith said: “This is an exciting opportunity for us to match up against the Olympic Champions at the World Cup. They are a high-quality team with very skillful forwards, composure and a deadly penalty corner. We also know that the points for this game are critical to get to the next round so we will be targeting the three on offer. We are looking forward to matching up against them.” Argentina Head Coach German Orozco said: “For us, we need to improve our game both when we are in possession and also without it. We want to continue building confidence in the team.” The Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 takes place between 28 November and 16 December. The Men’s World Cup is played every four years. For all information regarding the Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar

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    World AIDS Day marked at Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018

      December 02 | Story By FIH On Thursday 1 December, massive efforts were made across the globe to mark World AIDS Day, a pioneering global health campaign that has been organised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on an annual basis for the past 30 years. It was no different in Bhubaneswar, with the Odisha State AIDS Control Society (OSACS) doing their bit to raise awareness at the Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018. Ahead of the day’s action on the field, OSACS distributed T-shirts and caps to more than 2,600 spectators, who positioned themselves in the formation of a human ribbon – the symbol of World AIDS Day – in the west stand at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium. The decision to make the gesture at such a high-profile sporting occasion was certainly a smart one, with a global broadcast audience of millions witnessing the symbol created by the fans in the stand. World AIDS Day is designed to spread awareness and eradicate stigma associated with HIV/AIDS. The theme of World AIDS Day 2018 is ‘Know Your Status”. To learn more about World AIDS Day, click here.

      FIH President Dr Narinder Dhruv Batra addressing the guests at the FIH Honorary Awards ceremony in New Delhi. Credit: Hockey India

      IOC President Thomas Bach amongst winners at FIH Honorary Awards in New Delhi

        It was a night of celebration for many of the sport’s hardest working promoters and representatives on Thursday 1 November 2018 as the International Hockey Federation (FIH) Honorary Awards took place at the Lalit Hotel in New Delhi, India. A wonderfully vibrant, colourful event containing a string of acts from the world of dance, music and entertainment, all showcasing India’s rich and diverse culture, were enjoyed by hockey delegates representing well over 100 National Associations, who have converged in New Delhi as part of the programme for the 46th FIH Congress. The FIH Honorary Awards ceremony is a crucial element of the Congress programme, rewarding those who have made an outstanding contribution to the sport of hockey. There were 12 recipients of FIH President’s Award, which recognises individuals or National Associations having excelled with initiatives, projects or programmes that have contributed over a long period of time to the enrichment of the sport at international level. International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach was named as a winner of this hugely prestigious prize thanks to his longstanding support of both the sport and the Federation, but was sadly unable to be present in New Delhi to collect his award in person. Pam Elgar collects her President’s Award from FIH President Dr Narinder Dhruv Batra. Although Dr Bach was unable to attend, fellow recipients European Hockey Federation President Marijke Fleuren (NED), Oceania Hockey Federation President Pam Elgar (NZL) and Pan-American Hockey Federation President Alberto Budeisky (ARG) were all on hand to collect their honorary awards from FIH President Batra for their outstanding contributions in developing the sport in their respective regions and the constant drive towards gender equality. Former Belgium international and National Association President Marc Coudron (BEL) was also honoured, reflecting his key role in the growth of the sport in his homeland, as was Yokoyama Hide (JPN) for being instrumental in the development of hockey in Japan. Alberto ‘Coco’ Budeisky receives his President’s Award from FIH President Dr Narinder Dhruv Batra. Sheikh Al-Fahad Al-Sabah Ahmad, Naveen Patnaik, Raj Kumar Singh and HRH Prince Abdullah Shah were also revealed as winners of the President Award, as were The Hockey Museum for their role in ensuring that the history of the sport is being preserved for future generations. Wolfgang Hillmann, President of the Deutscher Hockey Bund, collected a President’s Award on behalf of the Germany Men’s U-21 team for their staggering display of sportsmanship at the EuroHockey Junior Championship in 2017. On the eve of their bronze medal match against Spain, a large number of the Spanish players were incapacitated by a virus and therefore unfit to play. Understanding the gravity of the situation, the Germany U-21 team chose to share the bronze medal, going so far as to unveiling the Spanish flag in honour of their sick opponents when they took their place on the podium. The Germany men’s U-21 team were honoured for their remarkable sportsmanship at the EuroHockey Junior Championship in 2017. Credit: European Hockey Federation.   Away from the President’s Award, the Pablo Negre Award was presented to Koninklijke Nederlandse Hockey Bond (KNHB) in recognition of their innovative programme to embrace the spirit of hockey, while the Federacion Deportiva Peruana de Hockey took the Theo Ykema Award thanks to their wonderful efforts in sustainable hockey development. Chaiyapak Siriwat (THA) was named as the winner of the Sultan Azlan Shah Award for his dedicated commitment to hockey, with Herman Kruis (NED) taking the Etienne Glichitch Award in recognition of his contribution to the growth and development of the sport.  Harchan Singh Dillon (HKG) and the China Women’s Hockey Team were the respective winners of the Guust Lathouwers Memorial Trophy and the Super Fair Play Trophy René G. Frank, while Sue Catton (ENG), Alain Renaud (FRA), Yoshida Motohito (JPN) and Peter Wefers-Bettink (NED) were named Order of Merit winners. Diploma of Merit Awards went to Nii Quay Kumah (GHA), Brigadier Mussarat Ullah Khan (PAK) and Choi-Cho Yoon (KOR). A list of the FIH Honorary Award winners for 2018 can be found below. To see an overview of all FIH Honorary Award winners both past and present as well as background information about the prizes, please click here. The FIH Honorary Awards Ceremony took place on the second day of proceedings at the 46th Congress, with the Congress session itself taking place on 3 November. Some 250 delegates from all over the world have gathered in New Delhi for the Congress, where key strategic decisions are made for the development and governance of hockey globally. The Congress agenda includes an overview of the status of the game, its evolution and development worldwide. Furthermore, delegates will elect four members to the Executive Board, while the Athletes’ committee will be renewed. Other items on the agenda include the ratification of the appointment of the President of the Judicial Commission, an update on the IOC Solidarity Foundation as well as a report on the FIH finances. Welcoming all guests of the 46th FIH Congress, FIH President Dr Narinder Dhruv Batra said: “It is a great pleasure to have you here in my country and my home town of Delhi. I have your permission to express my gratitude to Hockey India for looking after us, so a big thank you to them for their hospitality in hosting this event.” Hockey India Chief Executive Officer Elena Norman expressed her delight in hosting the awards ceremony and the Congress itself. “Over the past years, the FIH Congress has proved to be one of the most critical platforms for dialogue, which has paved the way for the Hockey Revolution throughout the world, including India. All of us at Hockey India, especially our President Mohd. Mushtaque Ahmad, feels privileged to have been chosen as the host of the 2018 FIH Congress, and we do hope that everyone present experiences a memorable four days in our capital city New Delhi.” Source: FIH

        46th FIH Congress kicks-off in New Delhi

          Some 250 delegates from all over the world gather in New Delhi, India, this week, for the 46th Congress of the International Hockey Federation. The Congress is the supreme body of the FIH and meets every second year. This is where strategic decisions are made for the development and governance of hockey globally. While the Congress session itself will take place on 3 November at the Lalit Hotel, the week will kick-off on 31 October with the FIH Executive Board meeting as well as a meeting of the Continental Federation CEOs. The FIH Honorary Awards ceremony, rewarding personalities having made an outstanding contribution to the game, will be held on 1 November. The Congress agenda includes an overview of the status of the game, its evolution and development worldwide. Furthermore, delegates will elect four members to the Executive Board, while the Athletes’ committee will be renewed. Other items on the agenda include the ratification of the appointment of the President of the Judicial Commission, an update on the IOC Solidarity Foundation as well as a report on the FIH finances. FIH President Dr Narinder Dhruv Batra said: “Over the past years we have worked tirelessly to develop and expand hockey worldwide. As we find ourselves almost half way through our ten-year Hockey Revolution strategy, we have a busy week ahead of us and I am looking forward to holding fruitful discussions together and making good decisions as we strive constantly to develop our sport globally and strengthen our governance to make hockey a global game that inspires the next generation.” The full Congress agenda is available here. Source: FIH

          Final Day: Zambia Achieve Historic Double in Inaugural AfHF President’s Cup Competition

            The men and women’s hockey teams of Zambia, celebrated a historic double by winning the inaugural edition of the AfHF President’s Cup in Arusha, Tanzania. By this feat, both teams qualify to join the International Hockey Federation’s (FIH) top 7 ranked nations in Africa for the Africa Cup for Nations Competition scheduled for South Africa in August. The ladies were the first to book their place with an emphatic 3-0 win over host Tanzania in the second of the best of 3 matches. Having won the first match, the second win put the tie beyond the Tanzanian, making the third match an academic exercise. Considering various factors at play, the Tournament Director in conjunction with the LOC, applied the necessary provisions in the Tournament Regulation to crown Zambia champions. Zambia ladies went into the tie determined to secure the three points at stake with a strong start. The Tanzanians, eager to restore some pride fought back gallantly holding their opponents at bay to end the first quarter scoreless. The second quarter followed the closely contested pattern until four minutes from the end when Janet Chisha put Zambia a goal ahead to end the half. Four minutes into the third quarter, Janet Chisha struck again from a penalty corner to put Zambia in a comfortable lead. The Tanzanians fought back but were unable to redeem the goal. The final quarter saw more attacking by the desperate Tanzanians who were kept at bay by the tactical defensive play of the Zambians. As the match drew to a close, the Zambians sensed the fatigue of the Tanzanians and unleashed a flurry of attacks on their opponents’ goal area which resulted in a goal being scored by Carol Nakombe in 56th minute to guarantee the championship. The Men’s match was a much closely contested battle with Malawi dominating slightly in the initial quarter which ended 0-0. It took a bit of time for Zambia to warm up in the second quarter and when they did, they took the lead in the 20th minute with a well taken field goal by Blessings Lowole. Tried as the Malawians did to redeem the goal, the Zambian defence remained resolute to the end of the contest for the famous victory. The closing ceremony was held in pouring rain, but that didn’t matter to any of the teams and the players who demonstrated how proud they were to be part of history and also, how very satisfied they were having given off their best and won medals to show to all on their return home. Congratulations to Tanzania Hockey who demonstrated their prowess and preparedness to organize future high profile events of the AfHF with a good job done by the LOC. Well done to all who made it a great success.

            President’s Cup Day 1 – Malawi Announce their return with an Emphatic Win Over Hosts

              The Malawi Sticks, the men’s team of Malawi marked their return to International hockey in Africa with a sound 3-1 bashing of hosts Tanzania. Malawi, whose last participation in international competition was in All Africa Games hosted by South Africa in 1999, announced their strong intention to compete for honours on the continent. An almost 2 decades of absence from the international scene may have weighed heavily on Malawi hockey, but the Malawi Sticks sent a positive signal home that hockey in Malawi, if adequately supported, can win laurels for the country. Malawi started strongly but were held at bay in the first quarter by a confident Tanzanian team who were confident they would scale this first hurdle of the competition. Seven minutes into the second quarter, Malawi drew first blood with a well taken goal from open play courtesy James Bandawe. Tanzania shook off the shock and carried the game to the Malawians. The continuous raid on the goal area of Malawi yielded result with Sunny D’Souza levelling the scores for the hosts in the 28th minute to end the half. The third quarter saw a lot of action but did not register any goals. The final quarter saw a battle for dominance with play swinging from one end to the other. It was however the Malawians who went ahead through a penalty stroke converted by Daniel Matavata in the 52nd minute. Tanzania threw everything into the game to redeem a point but in the process, they slackened at the back and the Malawians capitalized on that to punish them with a third goal a minute from the end of the match with a field goal by Denollye Mgeni. Earlier in the women’s encounter, Zambia inflicted misery on the hosts Tanzania with a 3-1 victory. Zambia led 1-0 at end of the first quarter through a lovely goal by Loveness Mudenda from open play. Tanzania came back strongly to draw level from a penalty corner converted by Shakira Mtenji to end the first half. The third quarter was evenly contested with no goals registered. It was however the Zambians who run away with victory in the first of three matches scoring twice through Carol Nakombe (47th minute) from open play, and Eniless Mambwe (56th minute) from a penalty corner. Day two will feature only one men’s match with hosts Tanzania seeking to rebound from the defeat to Malawi with an emphatic win over Zambia.  

              TD and UM Hold Briefing for Teams and Officiating Officials

                The Tournament Director and the Umpires’ Manager took turns to brief the teams and the officiating officials on the arrangements for the AfHF President’s Cup competition. The TD drew the attention to key aspects of the FIH Tournament Regulations that will guide the competition while the UM took his umpires through the salient issues to keep an eye on to ensure a free flowing game at all time to offer spectators gratifying entertainment while keeping a firm control at all times. The well mowed and manicured grass surface of the Twigas Club, looks set to withstand the anticipated pressure it will be subjected to from the upcoming battles between the nations. Meanwhile, all the teams have arrived in Arusha, settled comfortably and ready to do battle for honours. The action gets underway at 14:30Hours tomorrow (22/02/17) with the ladies’ category which will see the hosts Tanzania welcome Zambia. At 16:30Hours, the men’s competition starts with the hosts Tanzania welcoming Malawi back into African Hockey competition.

                Arusha Ready for the First Edition of the African Hockey Federation (AfHF) President’s Cup

                  All is set for the Tanzania Hockey Association to host the first ever AfHF President’s Cup for both men and women at the Sikh Union Complex, formerly known as the Arusha Twigas Sport Club, in Arusha during the period February 22 to 26. The President’s Cup is a newly introduced competition by the AfHF and it is opened to all National Associations ranked below 7 in African Hockey according to the outdoor ranking published by the FIH. The winners of both categories will join the top 7 ranked African nations for the 2017 Edition of the AfHF Africa Cup for Nations Competition to be held in South Africa during the period August 18-27. The Local organizing Committee (LOC) has worked hard to ensure that preparations are on track to host the event which will bring together three (3) national teams made up of the hosts Tanzania, Zambia and Malawi. Tanzania Hockey has the experience in hosting international club competition, but this will be the first time it will host an international tournament at the continental level, and the LOC is confident that the decision to host the event in Arusha will further boost and promote the game in the region in particular and the country in general. Tanzania Hockey is relying on a syndication of sponsorship from various sources including corporate entities to organize this important event. The AfHF is particularly excited to have Malawi back in competition and vying for continental honors once again and is hopeful that the competition will trigger a wave of renewed interest and excitement towards hockey in National Associations in Eastern Africa. The Competition will be supervised by Ahmed Yousef of Egypt (Tournament Director) and Ediga Agbo of Nigeria (Umpires Manager) with officials drawn from the three participating nations and Kenya.