No uncertainty for Olympic Qualifiers to be held in India after shifting Champions Trophy
The Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) looked quite hopeful for finding a solution for the power sharing with Hockey India (HI) so that they may not lose the hosting rights of the Olympic Qualifiers, like the FIH (International Hockey Federation) Men’s Champions
Trophy, to be held in February 2012.
RK Shetty, the President of IHF, confidently stated that the Sports Ministry would resolve and settle the gridlock over the current friction between the IHF and the HI.
"After a round of meeting between sports minister Ajay Maken and FIH president Leonardo Negre and chief executive Kelly Fairweather, I am sure that the matter will be resolved soon," RK Shetty stated to the reporters about the current situation.
Earlier, the FIH had ultimately decided to shift the FIH Men’s Champions Trophy hockey tournament from India to New Zealand due to the consistent management problems for the sport in the country. The event is scheduled to be held from December 3 to 11.
Shetty reviewed the FIH’s decision as a pressure tactic and also stated that it was erroneous decision on the part of FIH as the global body of the sport did not provide any opportunity to India to represent their case in front of them.
"FIH should know it is the Indian government who took the initiative to arrive at a solution and should have discussed its decision with all parties before taking a call. I knew this year's Champions Trophy was a closed chapter. But since it was Negre who
offered India to host the tournament," Shetty further added to his comments about the FIH’s decision of shifting this year’s Champions Trophy hockey tournament from India to New Zealand.
Shetty also stated that the FIH should have provided ample time to IHF and HI to resolve the issue and bring about a power sharing formula to govern the sport in the country.
While answering a question about hosting the Olympic Qualifiers next year in February, the IHF president, Shetty, stated that the Ministry of Sports is seriously looking to resolve the matter and he is pretty sure that a solution will be worked out prior
to the tournament.
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