News for 06 June 2018
All the news for Wednesday 6 June 2018
XI South American Games Cochabamba 2018 (W) - Day 4
Cochabamba (BOL)
Results 5 June 2018
PER v PAR (7th Place) 1 - 4
ARG v CHI (SF 1) 2 - 0
URU v BRA (SF 2) 6 - 0
FIH Match Centre
Odesur’s gold medal between Argentina and Uruguay
Chile, which played a great game, will have to play the bronze medal against Brazil. Bolivia and Paraguay will define the 5th and 6th position.
Macarena Ilabaca / Patrick Espejo - PAHF
South American Games (2018wODESUR) Cochabamba 2018: Argentina vs. Chile. Photo: Oscar Munoz Badilla
Cochabamba. Argentina had to make an effort to overcome Chile who played today its best match in the South American Games. In he other hand Uruguay could capitalized their opportunities and scored 6 goals against Brazil and they will also be in the final.
Argentina and Uruguay will play the gold game on Thursday, June 7, 3:30 pm (local time, +4 GMT).
Chile and Brazil will play at 1:00 p.m. for the bronze medal game. Bolivia will finally face Paraguay for the fifth and sixth place, who won 4-1 against Peru.
A GAME THAT FELT AS A FINAL
Argentina and Chile played the most intense game of the championship. Chile tried to cover all the creative possibilities that Argentina created and succeeded. Claudia Schuler stopped several opportunities and was in charge of maintaining the score in 0.
The 0-0 held until the end of the third quarter. Priscilla Jarden. María Campoy or Agustina Albertarrio always found a blue wall that prevented them from scoring. When the fourth quarter began and many made guesses of a possible 'shoot-out' definition.
In the minute 53 in the middle of a very chaotic circle a precise touch of Priscilla Jardel achieved the first goal for Argentina. Everybody celebrated the goal, the players, the bench and the crowd.
Chile continued with the pressure and kept looking for the goal, but in the 56 'gave a penalty corner that Sofía Toccalino did not forgive to mark the final 2-0, which gave Argentina their classification to the final game.
URUGUAY THE SECOND FINALIST
Uruguay achieved everything that they proposed. The first goal was to finish in the first place of the group. The second was to reach the final and they did it. Now they have to face the third challenge after beating Brazil 6-0 they will face 'Las Leonas' to fight the gold medal of the Games.
The scoreboard was quickly opened by Uruguay with a penalty corner goal that Lucía Lamberti capitalized, after two minutes - María Teresa Viana marked the second goal for the Cimarronas, who did not stay there, because the first half ended and Anastasia Olave scored the third goal for Uruguay.
In the third quarter the team led by Nicolás Tixie was filled with emotion with the three goals that sealed - the passage of Uruguay to Odesur’s final game of. The goals in the second half were done by Milagros Algorta, Jimena García and Kaisuami Dall'orso.
As soon as the game ended, the players entered the field to celebrate the classification
PERU SEVENTH
Peru finished seventh place in the final standings. Paraguay won 4-1 . Naomi Vera (170), Maria Catebra (21 '), Agustina Sanchez (44') and Maria Lorena Ruiz Diaz (54 ') scored for Paraguay. Marianella Álvarez scored for Peru.
Now Paraguay will play against Bolivia for fifth place in the South American Games.
Pan American Hockey Federation media release
Hockey Series Open - Salamanca 2018 (Men) - Day 1
Salamanca (MEX)
PUR v PAN (RR) 4 - 0
MEX v CRC (RR) 18 - 0
Hockey Series Open - Salamanca 2018 (Women) - Day 1
Salamanca (MEX)
PUR v PAN (RR) 8 - 0
MEX v GUA (RR) 30 - 0
FIH Match Centre
FIH Hockey Series kick starts path to Tokyo 2020 Olympics
Canada women will be led by new head coach, Giles Bonnet (PIC: Field Hockey Canada)
By The Hockey Paper
The inaugural edition of the Hockey Series will begin on Tuesday, with two five-team events taking place in Salamanca, Mexico.
The competition at the Cancha de Hockey Siglo XXI marks the start of hockey’s qualification phase for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
The men’s and women’s events comprise nations from the Pan American continent and will provide a curtain-raiser for the International Hockey Federation’s new global competition.
Teams who have not qualified for the FIH’s top-tier Hockey Pro League will contest the events.
There are places on offer at next year’s Hockey Series Finals, while nations who make the Finals will have the chance to qualify for Tokyo 2020 Olympic qualification events.
The Salamanca event will feature hosts Mexico, Costa Rica (yet to receive a world ranking), Panama, Puerto Rico and United States, the world No 26 side and pre-event favourites, in the men’s tournament.
In the women’s event, Mexico will entertain Guatemala, Canada, Puerto Rico and Panama. Canada, as world No 21, are the top-ranked side.
Following the Salamanca tournament, nine other Hockey Series tournaments will take place across the globe this year.
Singapore, Zagreb, Wattignies, Port Vila, Vilnius, Gniezno, Lousada, Santagio and Rawalpindi will also stage FIH Hockey Series events, with 15 nations qualifying for the next year’s Hockey Series Finals.
The Hockey Paper
Women’s National Team starts Tokyo 2020 journey in Mexico
Hockey Series Open acts as first benchmark for Women’s National Team en route to Tokyo 2020
The Canadian Women’s National Team’s road to the Tokyo Olympics starts today. Canada will take on Guatemala in their first qualification bout of 2018 at the Hockey Series Open in Salamanca, Mexico. After superb results at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and the official hiring of Giles Bonnet as the new head coach, Canada is poised to take down the competition this week in Mexico.
MATCH SCHEDULE
CANADA vs GUATEMALA | June 6, 2018 | 1500 | LIVE VIDEO
CANADA vs PUERTO RICO | June 7, 2018 | 1700 | LIVE VIDEO
CANADA vs MEXICO | June 9, 2018 | 1300 | LIVE VIDEO
CANADA vs PANAMA | June 10, 2018 | 1100
*All game times are listed in local time
Canada heads into the round-robin style tournament as the number one seeded team at the event. With the top two teams advancing to the next stage of Olympic qualification, the red and white are heavily favoured to advance.
According to team captain Kate Wright, no matter the quality of competition, the team is proud to wear the red and white and expects to maintain a standard of play that they’ve come to expect from themselves over the past several months.
“The team is always excited to represent our country,” she said. “We have been working really hard over the past couple weeks and are looking forward to continuing playing the attacking style of hockey we started to unleash in Australia.”
Wright said the team has made some huge strides coming out of the Commonwealth Games, though they still have a lot to work on in practices and competitions moving forward.
“We had some great results against some of the top teams in the world during the Commonwealth Games but had difficulty finishing, so we will be looking to really hone in on that part of our game,” she said.
This event is the perfect setting to work on their goal scoring as the last time Canada went to an early qualification tournament, then called World League One, they set a single-event goal scoring record.
According to newly appointed Bonnet, the team is ready to take on the world and he expects top–level performances no matter the opposition.
“This is the first step in the road to Tokyo 2020,” he said. “It’s exciting for Canada and this team to start on this daunting and inspiring challenge.”
The Women’s National Team has had a busy 2018 including three international tours and two intensive training blocks, followed up by this week’s competition in Mexico. There will be no rest for the team as they motor straight from Mexico to Europe for a 7-week tour featuring test matches and events against some top European nations.
According to Wright, the team is very excited to get out on the road and get quality competition under their belt over the next two months. For her, the ability to get so many games in close proximity will prove to be very valuable for this squad.
“It is a very exciting time for the Canadian Women’s National Team as we have not played this many games on a tour in a long time,” she said. “We will be taking advantage of the close proximity of the countries in Europe.”
Follow along via social media and on the tournament website for results this week from Salamanca. The team kicks off the Hockey Open Series tomorrow against Guatemala.
Tournament Information & Schedule
Hockey Open Series Roster:
Rowan Harris (GK)
Lauren Logush (GK)
Dani Hennig
Kat Leahy
Kate Wright
Sara McManus
Karli Johansen
Hannah Haughn
Shanlee Johnston
Amanda Woodcroft
Steph Norlander
Nikki Woodcroft
Brie Stairs
Sara Goodman
Samantha McCrory
Holly Stewart
Caashia Karringten
Alison Lee
Touring Staff
Giles Bonnet – Head Coach
Carrie Trumpy – Manager
Rachelle O’Brien – Athletic Therapist
Field Hockey Canada media release
GB Men announce squad for European Tour
Great Britain celebrate a goal against Australia
Great Britain’s men have named a 22-strong squad for their European tour in June where they will play five matches across ten days against three countries.
The squad will travel out on the 12 June moving across Europe taking on Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany before returning on the 22 June.
They begin the tour with two matches against world number three side Belgium at Beerschot HC before a single match against the Netherlands in Breda on 18 June.
The tour finishes with two matches against Germany at Rot Weiss HC in Cologne before travelling back to Bisham Abbey.
During the ongoing recruitment phase for a new Men’s Head Coach, Russell Garcia will be leading the team during this tour.
Squad:
George Pinner (GK) (C)
Harry Gibson (GK)
Brendan Creed
Adam Dixon
Jonty Griffiths
Michael Hoare
Henry Weir
Ollie Willars
Dan Kyriakides*
David Ames
James Gall
Harry Martin
Phil Roper (C)
Ian Sloan (C)
Barry Middleton
Liam Ansell
Will Calnan
David Condon
Alan Forsyth **
Chris Griffiths
Sam Ward
Lee Morton **
* - Denotes Welsh athlete
** - Denotes Scottish athlete
Fixtures:
14 June - Match 1 v Belgium (3pm) – Beerschot HC
16 June - Match 2 v Belgium (3pm) – Beerschot HC
18 June - Match 3 v Netherlands (7pm) - Breda *
20 June - Match 4 v Germany (7pm) – Rot Weiss HC
22 June - Match 4 v Germany (11am) – Rot Weiss HC
* Uncapped match
England Hockey Board Media release
Russell Garcia to lead Great Britain side on European tour
Great Britain Hockey is still searching for Bobby Crutchley replacement
By Richard Bright
Russell Garcia, who won hockey gold at the 1988 Olympics as a player, has been appointed stand-in coach for Great Britain men’s European tour later this month.
Garcia had been assistant coach to Bobby Crutchley before his sudden departure last month.
England Hockey is currently searching for a replacement for Crutchley ahead of the men’s World Cup in India at the end of the year.
The recruitment search ends the day before GB travel out to the continent on June 12.
Great Britain will play five matches across 10 days against Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany.
Mark Gleghorne, who would have recorded his 50th GB cap, hasn’t been selected while David Ames returns to the side after a lengthy injury lay-off and Scotland’s Lee Morton will make his senior debut alongside compatriot Alan Forysth. Dan Kyriakides is the sole Welshman in the squad.
They begin the tour with two matches against world No 3 side Belgium at Beerschot HC before a single match against the Netherlands in Breda on 18 June.
The tour finishes with two matches against Germany at Rot Weiss HC in Cologne before returning to the UK.
Our matches with Belgium and Germany will be capped matches with the game against the Netherlands uncapped.
GB’s 22-man squad:
George Pinner (GK) (C), Harry Gibson (GK), Brendan Creed, Adam Dixon, Jonty Griffiths, Michael Hoare, Henry Weir, Ollie Willars, Dan Kyriakides *, David Ames, James Gall, Harry Martin, Phil Roper (C), Ian Sloan (C), Barry Middleton, Liam Ansell, Will Calnan, David Condon, Alan Forsyth **, Chris Griffiths, Sam Ward, Lee Morton **
* denotes Welsh athlete
** denotes Scottish athlete
Match schedule
Thu 14 June – Match 1 v Belgium (3pm) – Beerschot HC
Sat 16 June – Match 2 v Belgium (3pm) – Beerschot HC
Mon 18 June – Match 3 v Netherlands (7pm) – Breda *
Wed 20 June – Match 4 v Germany (7pm) – Rot Weiss HC
Fri 22 June – Match 5 v Germany (11am) – Rot Weiss HC
* Match with the Netherlands is uncapped
The Hockey Paper
Townsend in training: Looking to the future
With one eye on the World Cup, Townsend is already planning for the future Photo: FIH/Getty
It is something every athlete must face. The moment the sporting career is over and the world of work beckons. Even as she prepares for the Vitality Hockey Women's World Cup, London 2018, England midfielder Susannah Townsend is all too aware of the ticking clock.
For as long as I can remember I wanted to be a professional sportswoman and never doubted that I would be. Even before I could walk, I would spend hours rolling a ball along the kitchen floor to my long-suffering twin brother to push back to me. I tried many sports as a youngster, including short tennis, football, cricket and even judo (which I still believe taught me how to fall safely). It wasn’t until I started secondary school that I was introduced to hockey and realised that the challenge of chasing after a ball with a stick was for me.
We are lucky that at England Hockey we are encouraged to continue studying or working while training full-time and I have been able to complete a degree in Sports Science and Management at the University of Kent as well as being part of the centralised programme. Combine that with an Olympic gold medal and the chance of World Cup glory on home turf this summer and it really hasn’t been a bad few years.
My priority at the moment is of course the Vitality Hockey Women’s World Cup and, as we count down to 21 July, that is where all my energy and focus lies. But, even as we thrash out one more sprint or lift one more, vein-popping weight, I can’t escape that fact that one day I won’t have all of this. I can’t pretend that I’m not a little apprehensive about what I am going to do after I hang up my stick for the final time.
The most frequent question I get asked at the moment is “what will you do when you finish hockey?”. It’s a daunting thought but I am slowly discovering the answers. At the individual development meetings that we get quarterly at England Hockey, I noticed that my life after hockey was a major talking point. At first that made me worried as I wondered why the focus wasn’t just on my hockey. Then I realised England Hockey are just looking out for me. They have a duty of care to make sure that when we retire we have an action plan for the rest of our lives.
When you look around, there is a growing number of women out there making a name for themselves in our sport after their playing careers have ended. Among them are two World Cup and Olympic champions, Netherlands Head Coach Alyson Annan and the USA Head Coach Janneke Schopman. In our England camp we had the services of Olympian Karen Brown for many years as Assistant Coach and now my fellow Rio gold medallist Hannah Macleod is working with the national development team.
I am very comfortable in the ‘hockey world’. It is not only my place of work but is also the basis of my friendship group as I am surrounded by people I have known my whole adult life. But I am not sure a life in coaching beckons for me. While having to step out of that life and start somewhere at the bottom doesn’t sit too comfortably with me, I am starting to realise that it’s ok to be a little scared and to start stretching myself professionally.
I have recently started working part-time for Wheyhey, a growing company that only started in 2013, who produce genuinely healthy treats. They specialise in brownies and ice cream, which are high in protein and contain no sugar. They are perfect for an athlete in training, who has the world’s sweetest tooth when it comes to treats. Anyway, it was a good fit. I’m probably their best customer so it was a natural move to become their Brand Ambassador working with the sales team. I am still finding my feet in the ‘real world’, but the team at Wheyhey are helping me every step of the way. I have been a part of successful teams in sport but this is my first experience team work in the outside world.
Every athlete has to go through this transition stage and, at the age of 28, it is becoming a lot more real. If I learn nothing else from working a couple of days a week, it’s that I need to find something that will replace the excitement of international hockey.
But with the Vitality Hockey Women’s World Cup now just a few weeks away, right now I can’t imagine anything that creates a bigger buzz, a bigger surge of adrenaline or a more dry-mouthed sense of anticipation, fear and excitement than stepping out onto the pitch at the Olympic Park and hearing the roar of a passionate home crowd. The career plan will need to go on hold for a little while yet.
#HCT2018 #TownsendinTraining
FIH site
Illse Davids calls time on her SA Hockey Career
Photo: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix
After 176 games for the South African Women’s Hockey Team, the diminutive midfielder Illse Davids has decided to hang up her stick and call time on her international career.
Having debuted back in 2007 at Kenya in the African Hockey Cup of Nations, the former Wynberg Girls High School student, was a constant on the team sheet under Jenny King, Giles Bonnet and later under Sheldon Rostron.
Along her career, Illse Davids represented South Africa at two Commonwealth Games (2014 & 2018), the 2014 FIH Hockey World Cup and the 2012 London Olympics. Of course at that 2012 Olympic Games South Africa finished 10th, but an absolute highlight, both of that tournament and of Illse’s career, was the 7-0 demolition of USA in the Pool B encounter. Another game that stood out for was a 4-0 win over Argentina in Bloemfontein in 2010, the first time South Africa had ever beaten Argentina.
The decision to retire came on the back of the calf injury she incurred at the Commonwealth Games in the 1-1 draw against Malaysia, limiting her to just two appearances and ultimately made Illse decide to call it time on her International career.
National co-captain Sulette Damons will look back fondly on the career of Illse Davids: “She’s a true role model on and off the field. Her infectious laugh put a smile on our faces at the toughest of times. Her passion for the game, her knowledge of the game and will to win are what I admire most about Illse. It’s been a massive honour to learn from her and to play alongside her.”
Although Illse is still keen to play Provincial hockey, her passion for the game extends further as she is now the hockey manager as well as a coach at Hoër MeisiesSkool Bloemhof in Stellenbosch, currently ranked 14th in the country.
So well we may miss Illse on the field, we are grateful that she will be helping breed the next crop of youngsters in Stellenbosch!
Marissa Langeni, the CEO of South African Hockey Association, shared her thoughts on Illse’s career: “Illse Davids will certainly be missed. She has been a central part of the national women’s team over the last few years and has inspired many a young girl from all walks of life to achieve greatness. Illse’s passion for the game and South African Hockey has always shone through. On behalf of the Executive Board of SA Hockey as well as the greater hockey family, I would like to thank Illse for her contribution to the national team. We wish her all of the best for the future and look forward to seeing her involved further in the sport that she loves.” 
Photo: Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Getty Images Europe
I asked Illse to share a message for the young women of South Africa that hope to one day emulate her. “Never give up on your dreams, I always believed that I would wear the green and gold. Whatever setbacks occurred on my journey, I learned from them and kept going until I achieved what I set out to accomplish!”
SA Hockey would like to thank Illse for the years of service and wish her all the best in her future endeavours.
SA Hockey Association media release
Harjeet Singh chasing another dream
Pratyush Raj
CHANDIGARH: On December 19, 2016, the image of a young captain asleep with the junior men's hockey World Cup trophy in his embrace touched the nation. Harjeet Singh is now 22 and he carries a new, bigger, shinier dream.
Harjeet told TOI on the sidelines of an event in Chandigarh: "Winning the junior World Cup was a dream come true, surreal, but now it's in the past and my new target is winning an Olympic medal for the country." The truck driver's son from Kurali in Mohali district of Punjab is familiar with hardships both on and off the field, and the tricks of dodging past those challenges to get to the goal.
Hockey is everything to him. "It has transformed my life from a time when I had to borrow worn-out shoes from my seniors and get those pairs stitched in order to play. Today, the sport has given me respect, fame, and an opportunity to lift my family out of poverty," the midfielder says. The World Cup triumph shot him from obscurity to overnight fame, from a stipend job to an officer's post in Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), from a crumbling house to a decent accommodation. But perhaps the best reward was biopic Harjeeta, released two weeks ago.
Speaking about the movie at its super-hit poster, Harjeet said: "That picture went viral and got me the amount of love I had never imagined in my wildest dreams. It feels good but now I want to focus on hockey." National team's new coach, Harendra Singh, is the one who guided Harjeet's junior squad to World Cup victory. "He is a hard taskmaster on the field but like a family elder off it," Harjeet said. "I look forward to playing under him again, as he knows my game."
Harjeet may not in the team for the upcoming Champions Trophy (June 23 to July 1) but he is confident of a comeback in the Asian Games. "I will improve my game, keep away from injury, and do whatever else it takes to go to the Asian Games (August 18 to September 2) and then the World Cup (November 28 to December 16)," Harjeet Singh said. Every night, he dreams of another peaceful sleep.
The Times of India
‘Catalyst’ for Irish men’s rise explains reasons for Belgian switch
Fulton during the recent series with Germany. Pic: Adrian Boehm
Dubbed the “catalyst” for the Irish men’s huge rise on the world stage, Craig Fulton’s decision on Thursday to resign from the role six months out from a first World Cup appearance in 28 years has sent shock waves through the local hockey community.
Indeed, it was a bolt from the blue for Hockey Ireland whose CEO Jerome Pels told the Irish Examiner “this came as a complete surprise”.
He added that Fulton had only extended his agreement with the national federation to stay on until Tokyo 2020 earlier this year.
It follows four years of unprecedented success, encompassing a first Olympic qualification in over a century, a maiden European championship medal in 2015 as well as a ticket to November’s World Cup in India.
Fulton will move to Belgium where he will become the assistant coach to the Red Lions, the Olympic silver medalists.
It is not a job, Fulton says, that he sought out nor he applied for. But the 2015 FIH Coach of the Year is a hot property on the world stage and was a prime target once the position became available.
As such, it was probably a matter of when rather than if a bigger fish would come along and Belgium, operating in a different financial stratosphere, are one of the sharks in the market, especially after Philippe Goldberg’s decision to step down as assistant coach.
For Fulton, the capacity to work with a fully professional squad rather than managing Ireland’s mixture of pro, semi-pro, students and workers was an enticing one.
“I wasn’t unhappy, I wasn’t looking for anything,” Fulton said. “I have been making plans [with Ireland] for the last two years with the goal of winning a World Cup quarter-final and I was very committed to seeing it.
“But, with Belgium, I will get more time with players, have my own projects and my own team [with the Under-21s] while also having the main job is to assist [head coach] Shane MacLeod for the World Cup and everything in their targets.
“I may not have to do all the other things that I have had to manage [with Ireland].”
Such tasks included running fundraisers to get the most from his panel, famously raising €225,000 in the lead-up to Rio to get the squad the preparations they required, designing in-depth programmes and lobbying government minister.
When asked if not having the finances to match his ambitions, Fulton said that it is the current situation in Ireland. Indeed, he said it was not a frustration for him and the panel but a challenge that they added to the repertoire and used to forge an enviable team spirit.
“Frustration is the wrong word,” he added. “It’s a reality, daily and monthly. For us, to be competitive, we asked the public for funds for a six-month programme for Rio. The players and I helped raise that money. That says it all.
“The big teams don’t have that problem. Then again, they may not have the character traits like the Irish men’s team have, making up in spades for what they don’t have with commitment and a mentality you can’t put a price on.
“If Ireland had everything, would they have that x-factor in those times when they are defending a lead?”
Goalkeeper David Harte said was such an attitude was indicative of his ambition and something the panel followed.
“Ned was the catalyst behind our Olympic and World Cup qualification which has led to our rise in the world rankings,” Harte said.
“He essentially unleashed the potential in the group and did so in a belief-driven and calculated manner. He’s a winner plain and simple.
“It’s incredibly unfortunate to lose him just six months from a World Cup. His vision and goals weren’t always able to be matched and supported financially but he persevered and fought tooth and nail to put everything in place.”
For Fulton, he did seek to start later with Belgium and see through 2018 with Ireland but the new job would not have been waiting for him come November, forcing his hand to make a snap decision.
“It was a massive honour to take the Irish job and then to do what we have done. When you have success, to turn away from it is disappointing.
“But I feel very proud of what we have done and I do sleep easily, knowing I have given it absolutely everything, leaving no stone unturned to put ourselves out there.”
For now, he hopes Hockey Ireland – who started advertising the job on Friday – can make a sensible appointment to fill his boots.
“I hope they don’t change too much, to have a knee-jerk reaction. The system is there and the staff is there to succeed.”
The Hook
Bhubaneswar gears up to host Hockey Men's World Cup
BHUBANESWAR: Preparations are in full swing ahead of the much anticipated Hockey Men's World Cup, to be played from November 28 to 16 December at the iconic Kalinga Stadium.
The Odisha government and Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) have been chalking out massive plans to give a facelift to the host city and several measures are being taken to improve the infrastructure, transportation and ambience for the biggest competition.
After the successful organisation of the Hockey World League (HWL) Final in 2017, the city will be hosting the prestigious World Cup.
"We are taking several measures to ensure that the World Cup is a grand success. The city of Bhubaneswar is going through a massive overhaul which will make it a favourable destination for all hockey enthusiasts from across the globe," said Sports secretary Vishal Dev.
"Through the collaboration between Bhubaneswar Development Authority, Odisha Tourism and multiple other state departments, we are working towards elevating the holistic experience for the visiting fans and the people of Odisha. We want the fans to walk away having witnessed top quality hockey action intertwined with the rich cultural heritage that Odisha offers", he added.
BMC is making sure that fans from across the world can enjoy the world-class hospitality that Odisha has to offer.
With less than six months to go for the 16-team competition, the local civic body will be executing three main projects which will help in building the core infrastructure and beautify the city.
Around 100 e-toilets will also be set-up in the city during the tournament to make sure that the sanitation situation is taken care of and tourists from all parts of the world can enjoy a clean and green environment, said an official.
Besides, a better drainage system will also be put in place to deal with the monsoons.
The civic body has commissioned artists from all over the state to paint the city with their creative exemplifications on hockey, with a number of walls throughout the city being their canvas.
A major chunk of the problem during big tournaments lies in the transportation facilities in the host cities. Therefore, the BMC is making sure that the number of city buses and non-motorised alternatives are in place to accommodate a large number of tourists who will be coming to witness the tournament.
As many as 200 new buses in two phases will be deployed in the city by the Capital Region Urban Transport, and the 110 old buses will also be used, making sure that a comprehensive 319 buses will be serving the public during the tournament, said the official.
The renovation work of the Kalinga Hockey Stadium has also entered its final phase with the capacity being increased to 15000 by extending the stands and building two new galleries.
The Times of India
PHF’s step-motherly treatment with local coaches continues
Anwar Zuberi
KARACHI: The Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) whose alleged bogus elections are making headlines in the country, has opened its coffers for foreign coaches while at the same time it is not prepared to spend a single penny for local people who have remained involved in different capacities with the team’s training, it emerged on Tuesday.
The PHF, according to sources, has hired the services of Dutch coach Roelant Oltmans for a lucrative package of Euro 8,000 per month (Rs1.1 million) besides other fringe benefits. The PHF secretary has not disclosed Oltmans’ package to the media since his appointment.
The 63-year-old Dutch coach, who is here on his second stint – March 1, 2018 to Sept 1, 2020 — was getting Indian Rs 9.5 lakh per month by the Indian Hockey Federation before taking up the present assignment with Pakistan.
Pakistan’s goal-keeping coach Shahid Ali Khan parted ways with the PHF on the grounds of step-motherly treatment. He was annoyed upon learning that his name was not sent for the Commonwealth Games as one of the coaches.
Physical trainer Imran Khan, who remained associated with the team’s training on the eve of the Commonwealth Games, also left the camp in disgust.
Earlier, the PHF specially invited former international Safdar Abbas’s son and a qualified physical trainer, Mudassir Abbas from Australia and handed a meagre amount to him for his services.
Last but not the least, the PHF utilised the services of veteran athletics coach Mohammad Talib by handing him a batch of eight senior players to improve their physical fitness.
“On the instruction of the Dutch coach, PHF secretary Shahbaz Ahmed asked me to improve the physical fitness of these players as they may make a comeback in the team,” Talib told Dawn.
Talib said he was happy that four of the eight players have made it to the national team after a fortnight training.
Talib, who has remained involved with a number of gold medal winning hockey and other teams in the past, said he takes pride to groom the players without any interest but regrets that nobody acknowledges his work.
Dawn
FIH has agreed a partnership with Europe's leading sports broadcaster Eurosport
Eurosport acquires Spanish rights for Hockey World Cups and Champions Trophies
The International Hockey Federation has agreed a partnership with Discovery owned broadcaster Eurosport to show both Women’s and Men’s Hockey World Cups and Champions Trophies in the Spanish territory this year.
With Spain women taking part in the Vitality Hockey Women’s World Cup London 2018 between 21 July and 5 August and their men participating in the Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 between 28 November and 16 December, Eurosport will provide full visibility across multiple platforms for these flagship events.
In Spain, all Spanish matches at the World Cups, plus the finals, will be show on Eurosport 2. In addition, matches involving all the participating nations will be shown on Eurosport Player.
The Rabobank Men’s Hockey Champions Trophy Breda 2018, taking place between 23 June and 1 July, and the Women’s Hockey Champions Trophy Changzhou 2018 held between 17-25 November, will also be shown on Eurosport Player in the Spanish territory.
Bringing the sport to life will be commentator Francisco Trapero who will be joined by renowned Spanish goalkeeper Chus Rosa. With more than 100 caps to her name and having been nominated three times for FIH’s best goalkeeper in the world, she will supplement Francisco’s in-depth coverage with expert analysis for Spanish fans.
“We’re delighted to engage Eurosport with hockey in the knowledge that their platforms will showcase our flagship events to sports fans across Spain. With improving performances of both the men’s and women’s national teams, their attacking style of play is certain to excite the masses of Spanish sports fans watching on their channels. With that in mind, we’re really looking forward to working with Eurosport to release the great potential we see in the Spanish market.”
Andy Oram, FIH TV and Broadcast Director
About Eurosport
Eurosport, the number one sports channel in Europe, fuels the passion of fans and connects them with the best sporting events in the world. As the new House of the Olympic Games in Europe, Eurosport recorded an excellent experience with the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics reaching both the linear and digital audience of all Eurosport subscribers. Established firmly as the House of Cycling, Tennis Grand Slam and winter sports, the Eurosport channels -Eurosport 1 and Eurosport 2- reach more than 242 million subscribers spread across 75 countries in Europe, Asia Pacific, Africa and the Middle East. Its website, www.eurosport.com, ranks as the number 1 sports news portal in Europe with an average audience of 42 million unique users per month and is added to the Eurosport app (iOS and Androids devices) that can be consulted at any time and from anywhere on mobile devices and tablets. Additionally, the Eurosport Eventos specialized division is responsible for the management and promotion of international events. More information at corporate.eurosport.com. In Spain, Eurosport 1 and Eurosport 2 are available in Movistar +, Vodafone TV, Orange, Telecable, R, Euskaltel and other authorized operators.
FIH site
SoftCo Announced as Main Sponsor of Ireland Women’s World Cup Hockey Team 
SoftCo, the leading global Finance Automation Software Provider today announced a major sponsorship deal with the Ireland Women’s Hockey team incorporating the Hockey World Cup in London.
This is the first time that the Irish team have qualified for a hockey World Cup since 2002 and will compete in Group B against Olympic champions England, the USA and India from 21stJuly to 5thAugust 2018. In addition, Hockey Ireland is set to announce details of the ‘SoftCo Series’ World Cup preparation matches against Canada taking place in Pembroke Wanderers Hockey Club on 15th– 16thJune.
The Ireland Women’s Hockey team join SoftCo’s world-class sponsorship family which includes New Zealand and Ireland rugby legends Dan Carter and Ronan O’Gara, PGA Tour stars Chesson Hadley and Troy Merritt and European Tour Sixes champion Gavin Moynihan.
Susan Spence, Co-Founder, SoftCo, said:
“We are delighted to support the Ireland Women’s Hockey Team at this exciting time with the team heading to London for 2018 World Cup. Although SoftCo is a global organisation, we are proud of our Irish roots and it is great to see the team compete on the world stage in such a huge event.”
Commenting at the announcement, Jerome Pels, CEO Hockey Ireland:
“Hockey Ireland was in need of major investment to help our squad prepare for the 2018 World Cup. SoftCo has answered that call and injected vital funds into our organisation which will have a direct impact on the women’s team as they fine tune their World Cup preparations.”
About SoftCo
Established in 1990, SoftCo is a leading global software company with over one million business users worldwide. Headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, SoftCo has offices in Boston, Manchester, and Helsinki. Our Smart Automation technology is transforming how organisations manage their Procure-to-Pay processes, reducing costs and ensuring organisations meet their compliance obligations. SoftCo’s worldwide customers include Volkswagen, Primark, Sunny Delight, the Finnish Government, and PWC. Visit www.SoftCo.comfor more information
About The SoftCo Foundation
The SoftCo Foundation was established with the goal of providing support to projects worldwide that could make a difference to people’s lives. The goal of the Foundation is to take a practical approach and to provide assistance to those who need it the most. Most recently, the SoftCo Foundation has established a food bank for those in need, and has funded an innovative new Lymphoma Tissue Bank at Guy’s and St. Thomas’ Hospital in London, which will aid research in curing blood cancers for future generations.
Irish Hockey Association media release
Hockey Museum awarded full accreditation status by Arts Council England
By Richard Bright
Delving into sporting history was supposed to be one of the legacies of the London 2012 Olympics. But where other plans were scrapped – including the halting of a Olympic Museum in Stratford – hockey has thrived.
Last week, the work put in by volunteers at the UK-based The Hockey Museum was recognised after it was awarded full museum accreditation by Arts Council England.
And in a key year for the sport, with a home World Cup, the museum has also opened its first exhibition.
The Woking-based museum joins 1,800 other museums participating in the scheme, working to manage its collections effectively for the wider public.
Katie Dodd, THM’s chair of trustees, said: “The Museum has changed significantly since we embarked on this journey as we have undergone a major redevelopment project that has included the recent move to new premises in Woking and the opening of our first in-house exhibition from June.
“We are thrilled that the Arts Council has made this award and we look forward to using the Accreditation scheme as a tool for developing the Museum further in the coming years”.
Dodd said that the museum will continue its work to catalogue and photograph its collections and make them more accessible to the community.
From June, the Museum will open to the public on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
There are plans for a series of Open Days over the coming months and, if there is sufficient demand following its relocation in December to Woking town centre.
“None of this would be possible without our dedicated volunteers and supporters, who give their time and enthusiasm to make the THM what it is,” added Dodds.
“A huge thank you goes out to them for helping to make this success happen. The generous support of England Hockey and the International Hockey Federation should also be acknowledged as we work with them to promote and celebrate the fascinating heritage of our sport.”
The Hockey Paper