February 6, 2023
FIH World Cup A Misnomer
By Syed Rifaquat Ali
The fifteenth edition of Federation Internationale Hockey (FIH) World Cup, which featured sixteen top teams in the world, was played in Kalinga stadium, Bhubaneshwar and Birsa Munda stadium, Rourkela, Odisha, from 13 to 29 January this year before a capacity crowd of over 50,000 people.
Forty four matches were played in a spirit of camaraderie and competitive zeal and passion. Indomitable Germany won the World Cup, watched by millions of hockey lovers around the world, beating defending champions Belgium 5-4 in a see-saw battle.
The Netherlands won the bronze medal beating the formidable Kangaroos 3-1 in a match played at a very fast pace.
Asian giant India attained 9th place which was very disappointing as also disheartening.
In an informal long chat, the superstar of 1975 FIH World Cup played in Kuala Lumpur, where India won the title, beating Pakistan, Aslam Sher Khan, said that hockey has shifted to Europe and teams from the Asian continent are no more invincible vis-a-vis World Cup.
FIH has changed certain rules which suits the European countries.
The very fact that FIH introduced the Astro-turf which was a disadvantage to Asian teams because the game on the synthetic surface is physically very demanding and requires high class physical fitness which is missing in the teams from the Asian continent.
Stickwork and dribbling is now a thing of the past. It is now hit and run hockey.
In other words, hockey has become robotic which is opposite to traditional hockey. Khan is no more optimistic about India, Pakistan, South Korea or any other Asian team winning the World Cup for sundry reasons.
The FIH has very cleverly framed and reframed rules which suit the European countries.
Khan says emphatically that the FIH World Cup is a misnomer, and a Ughtto be called FIH European World Cup which sounds more appropriate.
Chattarjit Singh, who retired as Chief Coach (hockey) from the National Institute of Sports, Patiala, says the FIH has changed 'obstruction rules' which is funny.
Till mid 1980s there was no hassle about rule changes, but lately intermittent rule changes have smeared the game, inimical to the Asian countries.
Both Aslam Sher Khan and Chattarjit Singh say that the present hockey scenario is a wake up call for Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) to organise a national seminar for a healthy debate to uplift Indian hockey.
Pakistan, which heavily dominated world hockey in the recent past, should also take appraisal of her failure to qualify for the FIH World Cupwhich was recently held in India.
Syed Rifaquat Ali is JoA correspondent in Sydney
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