The Hindu : Sport / Hockey : Need for restructuring National championship

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Friday, Nov 03, 2006
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Need for restructuring National championship

Hockey Correspondent

Jalandhar: There is an urgent need to restructure the National hockey championship. A few negative factors notwithstanding, the current edition, sponsored by Dainik Bhaskar and Tracer Shoes, has underlined the importance to reform the process. But it is easier said than done.

At a media conference on Tuesday, K.P.S. Gill, President, IHF, admitted that a review — the IHF has a five-year contract for the event — was contemplated and a meeting of all the units would debate the issue threadbare before identifying a solution.

Gigantic task

With sponsors identified now, the IHF should endeavour to put in place a system that is vibrant, rewarding and acceptable to all. It is a gigantic task, considering the huge number of teams, clamouring for the honour of being part of the national championship. The plethora of associate members is a burden; but it is indisputable that it is they who provide the glamour having in their ranks the collective pool of top national talent.

How dynamic the IHF will be to thread an acceptable programme remains a matter of conjecture at this point.

That only one affiliated member — Delhi — managed to make it to the last four here mirrors the hold of the institutional teams. It is debatable whether even Delhi would have been there if the players locked in the camp were part of their institutions in the championship. Pressed for time to complete the event, the IHF had to ensure that the campers were protected from strain, injury and what not. The predicament of IHF on this score is unenviable.

Talking point

The talking point here obviously is the entry of Namdhari XI and Delhi into the last four, denying formidable teams such as Airlines, Punjab and Air India a berth. Both teams displayed the spirit and determination to fight against the odds and won convincingly.

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