Another blow for World Series Hockey
International Hockey Federation (FIH) in an obdurate move has refused to accredit the recently formed, glamorous hockey league, World Series Hockey (WSH), and has directed National Associations (NAs) of all hockey playing countries around the globe to stay
away from the event.
The future of the million-dollar hockey league despite having support of numerous international players seems uncertain and vague. The international governing body in a dramatic move also divulged a plan to launch its own league in a joint venture with Hockey
India (the FIH recognised body in the country).
Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) in association with Nimbus Sports, the sub-component of Nimbus Communication, has launched an annual-based hockey league, WSH, in a bid to bring an alluring touch to the game and financially facilitate the players around the
globe.
The WSH officials claimed that more than 60 domestic and international players have expressed their interests to partake in the multi-million dollar hockey league.
However, things have not gone the right way in this regard and Hockey India firstly raised its reservations followed by the FIH, which declared the WSH as illegal and unofficial.
The international body was of the view that the IHF is an unrecognised body, and could not organise any such event.
The apex sports body in a recently revealed letter has strongly rejected the WSH saying that, those, who would take part in the league, could be disqualified from all FIH tournaments. This is a serious warning being issued to the international hockey players
and national associations across the world in a bid to make them cautious.
The letter further stated that the international body received information from national associations running hockey affairs in different countries that their players had been approached by franchises’ agents, who offered them to join their teams.
The FIH in clear words stated that it had not recognised the World Series Hockey and competitions in the aforementioned league may create clashes with the FIH scheduled-tournaments.
The International body also cautioned that no player or hockey association should accept the proposal of the hockey league without consultation with FIH officials.
The FIH letter stated, “Any player and any NA (national association) that participates in the WSH may render that player and NA ineligible to participate in any FIH tournament, including Olympic Qualifying tournaments and the Olympic Games. No player and
no NA should accept any involvement in the WSH without first consulting the CEO of FIH, Kelly Fairweather”.
It seemed that the WSH compelled the international federation to hastily announce their own lavish style franchised-based league and involved all the players.
The apex sports body is mulling over making an announcement in this regard in the next meeting of the FIH Congress, which is scheduled to be held in the first week of March 2011. FIH claimed that they were working with HI to launch a hockey league in the
country much before the introduction of IHF’s hockey league.
The letter described, “FIH also advises that we have been working with Hockey India for some time (several months before the announcement of the WSH) to establish a professional league in India. This new league will carry the endorsement of the FIH and HI”.
Clarifying doubts over the accreditation of HI with the FIH, the letter stated that the membership of the IHF in Indian Hockey Confederation (IHC) was drawn off after it failed to obey the rules of the international federation.
Afterwards, HI was formally accredited by the apex sports body back in 2008 to run the hockey affairs in the country, it added.
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