As per the 2nd AfHF Executive Board meeting of 2021 and given the ongoing Corona virus outbreak impact on our 2021 events Road Map, presenting the 2nd EB Meeting Resolutions & Revised Events Dates.  

14 December 2020 Lausanne, Switzerland: The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has launched the bidding process for hosting the FIH Nations Cup which will be played in 2022 for the very first time. The aim of this new yearly event is to offer a top-level competition to the best-ranked teams not participating in the FIH Hockey Pro League and give the winners the option to be promoted to the FIH Hockey Pro League the next season, precisely. For Men as well as for Women, eight teams will be involved in the FIH Nations Cup, based on the FIH World Rankings of 31 May 2021. The FIH Nations Cup also marks the start of the promotion-relegation principle for the FIH Hockey Pro League. Indeed, both FIH Nations Cup winners will have the chance to be promoted to the 2023/24 FIH Hockey Pro League (provided they meet the necessary requirements for it). Since participation in the FIH Nations Cup is conditioned by each team’s position in the FIH World Rankings, the bidding process to host the event is only open to the National Associations of the relevant teams. And since the FIH World Rankings may evolve between now and May next year, the bidding dossier has been sent to 10 – instead of 8 – National Associations per gender, as follows: Men: Canada (10*); Malaysia (11); France (12); Ireland (13); South Africa (14); Japan (15); Korea (16); Pakistan (17); Austria (20); Egypt (21) Women: Spain (7); Ireland (8); India (9); Korea (11); Japan (13); Canada (14); South Africa (16); Italy (17); Chile (18); Russia (19) *current position in the FIH World Rankings FIH CEO Thierry Weil said: “The FIH Nations Cup is a welcome addition to our events’ portfolio. It will enable to apply the promotion-relegation principle to the FIH Hockey Pro League. Like for most other leagues, this will generate even more excitement to the competition. It will also give other nations who haven’t yet had the opportunity to join the Pro League to do so and this is only fair! And it will help grow hockey in further countries.” The deadline for submitting the bids is 31 March 2021. For more information about FIH and hockey in general, please download the Watch.Hockey app or follow the FIH social media channels – Facebook, Instagram and Twitter – and website.

10 December 2020 Lausanne, Switzerland: Horizm, the award-winning provider of digital inventory management in sport, and the International Hockey Federation (FIH) have confirmed an agreement that will see FIH using Horizm’s Artificial Intelligence powered platform to help hockey’s world governing body unlock new digital revenues. The collaboration highlights the FIH’s growing commitment to digital as a key component of its commercial strategy and, through Horizm’s real-time solution, will enable FIH to establish accurate market valuations for its different digital assets. It will also provide FIH with the intelligence and the tools to create new digital content franchises that can be monetised directly, or in partnership with Horizm. Commenting on the announcement and the challenges sports organisations face when trying to understand the value of their digital channels, FIH CEO Thierry Weil said: “We’re very happy to have engaged on this partnership with Horizm. They can deliver clear measurement as well as a valuation and evaluation of our digital assets. And then quantify this for us.  This is much needed data which we will use for our current and potential future commercial partners”. FIH Sponsorship Sales Director Ricky Thussu added: “We’ve been on the journey with digital where data, content, social media, OTT have played an integral part and Horizm is just the right layer to wrap around them so we can quantify the value delivered through these engagement and touchpoints we have created”. Horizm, CEO, Pedro Mestriner said: “It is a pleasure to be working with such a progressive and forward-thinking sports federation whose commitment to unlocking digital value is an example to others in the industry”. The FIH engages hockey fans globally across Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, its OTT platform Watch.Hockey – available both as an app and a web version – and its official websites (www.FIH.ch and www.FIHProLeague.com) and is supported by a portfolio of seven official global partners and suppliers. Horizm’s success in helping sports rights holders like the FIH unlock digital revenues was recently recognised at leading industry event, the World Football Summit Industry Awards, where they were chosen as Best Supplier presented by SportsTechX. Horizm also used World Football Summit to announce their collaboration with LaLiga Champions, Real Madrid CF. #HockeyDigital #GrowingDigital

5 December 2020 Lausanne, Switzerland: As we celebrate International Volunteer Day, we recognise the huge efforts and commitment shown by the hockey community across the globe. Hockey, as a sport, relies on a vast army of volunteers to ensure the smooth running of events, clubs and associations. From the chairs of committees and the presidents of associations to the youngest ball patrol boy or girl, you will find volunteers working hard and with total selflessness at every level of the game. While we are celebrating just a few individuals on the United Nations-led International Volunteer Day, it is worth thinking about and recognising the work of each and every volunteer on every continent. In Oceania, the work of Fakavahe (Vahe) Paeaimoana has helped school children across the Polynesia kingdom of Tonga to develop a love of hockey. The willing volunteer helps with coaching and umpiring at a number of primary schools, as well as working on a disability programme, an adult hockey programme and on a community hockey project. The Pan American Hockey Federation is recognising the work of Pedro Berganza and Valeria Pardo, two volunteers working in El Salvador and Bolivia respectively. For Berganza, a decade of work with the national association combined with his position as goalkeeper for the national team has been recently rewarded as the El Salvador Hockey Association has been included in the Sports National Organisation (INDES) budget. This development means more development and growth for the sport For her part, Pardo has been pushing the cause of hockey both as a development officer and as someone truly immersed in the game. Hockey in Bolivia is hugely under-financed and under-resourced but somehow, Pardo has managed to source funding and manage the meagre budget so that Bolivia now has both a women’s and men’s national team. The Asia Hockey Federation has nominated two trailblazers of the game. Oman’s Abdul Rehman and Saman Rashid from Pakistan have both taken their love of the game as players into lifelong roles as volunteers. Since retiring from the game, Rehman has been coach, umpire and team manager for the Oman national team, while Saman has used her knowledge of the game to great effect as a Technical Official at a number of increasingly high profile events. Nonhlanhla Mtolo has been volunteering for both the domestic league and international events since she joined the strong volunteering hockey workforce in South Africa. Nonnie, as she is known, splits her time between a role as team manager for the provincial youth sides and Technical Official duties when South Africa hosts international events. Also from African Hockey Federation, Louis Tengey is the epitomisation of someone who makes things happen. He started his volunteering journey by creating a hockey club – the Pozo Sticks – in 1977. Two decades on and Tengey realised that, if hockey was to grow in Ghana, a development programme was needed. So he started one. Another two decades on and Tengey is still heavily involved in the game, working at the National Hockey Stadium and assisting the Greater Accra Hockey Association. The two volunteers being recognised by the European Hockey Federation are from Bulgaria and England respectively. Kaloyan Hristov has been instrumental in bringing competitive international hockey to Bulgaria. He founded one of the leading Bulgarian clubs, Slavia 1921, and has also been the driving force behind numerous national and international competitions hosted in Bulgaria. Hristov is very conscious of Bulgarian hockey and its place in the country’s history which creates a neat link to the other EHF volunteer Katie Dodd. While Dodd is best known as an international player in the 1980s and 90s, she is now Chair of the Trustees of The Hockey Museum, which is fast becoming a valuable resource both nationally and internationally. Over her distinguished hockey career, Dodd has also been Director of England Hockey and was presented with her member of Honour accolade in 2018 for her work within the game. The stories of these volunteers are just a few examples of the extraordinary breadth of work that people from all backgrounds and cultures undertake as part of our expansive and hugely appreciated hockey community. To see our special video of thanks to all hockey volunteers, please click here. #IVD2020 ENDS Notes to Editors: FIH Contact Nicolas Maingot, Senior Communications Manager media@fih.ch +41 (0) 21 641 0650 About the International Hockey Federation (FIH) The International Hockey Federation (FIH) is the world governing body for the sport of hockey, recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Founded in 1924, FIH today has 137 member National Associations. For more information on the Hockey Revolution, please visit: fih.ch/inside-fih/our-strategy