News for 13 August 2020
All the news for Thursday 13 August 2020
After six hockey players, SAI official tests Covid positive
Vinayak Padmadeo
There is no end to the woes of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) management. Days after six national hockey squad players tested positive for Covid-19 — they are under constant observation in a Bengaluru hospital — an assistant director in Bengaluru has tested positive for the virus.
The assistant director, whose name is being withheld as per the Covid protocol, is assigned to the coaching division. He undertook the test on Monday, but he has been on medical leave from August 3. He visited SAI’s Bengaluru facility on Monday to get his medical leave extended. It is not clear whether he was able to meet the doctor on duty at the SAI centre.
Incidentally, the development comes on the day SAI announced that the men’s and women’s hockey teams will resume full training from August 19.
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The assistant director is said to have met four of his colleagues from the coaching division before leaving the campus. RT-PCR tests will be conducted on the four staffers by tomorrow. However, if any other staff member develops the Covid symptoms, the RT-PCR tests will be conducted on them and their primary contacts.
As per protocol, the administrative building will be closed until next Monday.
Hockey camp from August 19
Meanwhile, after consultations with Hockey India, SAI has decided to go ahead with the national camps from August 19. The decision has been taken despite the Covid scare in the Bengaluru centre. On Tuesday, the six players who had tested positive — Mandeep Singh, captain Manpreet Singh, Surender Kumar, Jaskaran Singh, Varun Kumar and Krishan Pathak — were moved to a hospital as a precautionary measure.
“After having had detailed discussions with all stakeholders including the Chief Coaches and core probables of both the teams and after giving the utmost priority to the safety and well-being of all the athletes, it has been decided that the sporting activities will be resumed at SAI’s National Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, as scheduled earlier,” SAI said in a statement.
The Tribune
National hockey camps to resume on August 19 despite 6 COVID-19 cases
Both the men’s and women’s teams will resume training at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) South Centre in Bengaluru. The light intensity national camp is expected to continue till September 30.
The Sports Authority of India has decided to go-ahead with both the men’s and women’s hockey camps despite the Covid-19 positive tests among men from August 19th after completion of the mandatory 14-day quarantine period, observing the SOP and social distancing norms.
The players had reached Bengaluru on August 4 after a 45-day break, prior to which they had been stuck at the SAI Centre, mostly without training, for more than 100 days due to lockdown. Six players had tested positive and were moved to a multi-speciality hospital as a precautionary measure late on Tuesday.
Skipper Manpreet, striker Mandeep Singh, defenders Surender Kumar, Jaskaran Singh, drag-flicker Varun Kumar and goalkeeper Krishan Bahadur Pathak have been hospitalised after testing positive for the virus.
The decision was taken after Mandeep Singh was hospitalised late on Monday night when his oxygen level dropped below normal. The other five -- captain Manpreet Singh, Jaskaran Singh, Surender Kumar, Varun Kumar and Krishnan B Pathak – had earlier been isolated at SAI.
“The decision to hospitalise them was taken so as to ensure that the players were attended to at all times and could be given the best possible treatment. All six athletes are in good health and recovering well,” SAI said in a statement.
Men’s coach Graham Reid said the six players would join the camp after recovery and quarantine. The women, however, would all begin training immediately on resumption. “I say it on behalf of the whole squad that we are very happy to be back resuming sports activities and feeling safe. Having spoken to all the players, I have received a positive response from each of them," women’s chief coach Sjoerd Marijne said.
There have been no Covid cases among the women probables. "We will provide all logistical support required, as required by the chief coaches of both teams in accordance with SOPs, and ensure that the teams can train in a safe environment,” SAI Regional Director Captain Ajay Bahl said in a statement.
Sportstar
Indian men's, women's hockey teams to resume training from 19 August after string of COVID-19 cases
The men's hockey team recently suffered a bout of COVID-19 cases, with several key players testing positive for coronavirus after returning to the camp.
New Delhi: The Sports Authority of India on Wednesday announced that the Indian men's and Indian women's hockey teams are scheduled to resume sports activities from 19 August following the completion of their 14-day quarantine period.
After having had detailed discussions with all stakeholders including the Chief Coaches and core probables of both the teams and with the safety and well-being of all the athletes in mind, it has been decided that activities will resume on 19 August at SAI's National Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.
Speaking on the announcement by SAI, Indian women's hockey team chief coach Sjoerd Marijne said, "I say it on behalf of the whole squad that we are very happy to be back at the National Camp and resuming sports activities by following all the protocols, and feeling safe. Having spoken to all the players about the resumption, I have received a positive response from each of them. We look forward to working hard on the team's fitness in this protected environment."
Meanwhile, Graham Reid, the men's team head coach, said, "We are also in constant touch with the six players who have tested positive for COVID 19. They are in good spirits, and are looking forward to a quick recovery. Once recovered and after following the protocol of quarantine, we look forward to having them back with us."
The men's hockey team recently suffered a bout of COVID-19 cases, with several key players testing positive for coronavirus after returning to the camp.
Firstpost
Lessons on Milkha Singh, laundry: Hockey’s quarantine life
Players also reading about PT Usha, brushing up on English during isolation.
By Mihir Vasavda
Veteran goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, with his books, in his hostel room at National Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. (Instagram)
How do you spend 14 days alone in a hostel room that is virtually isolated from the rest of the campus that itself is in a secluded area in the outskirts of the city?
The Indian hockey team players are figuring out new ways everyday: learning about some of the all-time great athletes the country has produced, learning about themselves by watching and analysing old videos, polishing their English-language skills, noting down motivational quotes from inspirational books and… washing their own clothes.
The hospitalisation of the six players, including men’s team captain Manpreet Singh, who were infected with Covid-19, has left the others shaken. Psychological counselling has been offered to the players who travelled from their respective hometowns to the National Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru in the middle of the pandemic to report for the national camp. The coaches of the women’s and men’s teams have had to come up with innovative ways to keep spirits high during the mandatory 14-day quarantine inside the centre.
On Tuesday, four pillars of the men’s team combined to talk about a legend of yesteryear. SV Sunil, PR Sreejesh, Kothajit Singh and Birendra Lakra, via a meeting app that’s become a virtual office for most, gave a presentation to their teammates about the life and times of sprint queen PT Usha. Some others spoke about the Milkha Singh path to glory while a few gave a lecture on Dhanraj Pillay’s journey to the pinnacle of Indian hockey.
“The coaches have divided us in four-five groups. Each group was given the task to read up about a legend and make a presentation on that person,” says a player. “Although we have grown up listening to their stories, it was very motivating to learn about their struggles, what kept them going and their motto in life.”
The Bengaluru campus has been home to these players for a major part of the ongoing Olympic cycle. But the new normal at the training camp, as they found out after returning last week, is vastly different.
Each of them had to undergo a rapid Covid test while entering the facility and, unlike before, they are not sharing space. To ensure distancing, every player has been given an individual room where they have been provided a kit comprising a hand sanitiser, face masks and a digital thermometer, among other essentials.
Every four hours, a player says, they have to report their body temperature as well as oxygen levels to the team management. A campus attendant keeps a food tray outside each player’s room, which has to be picked up roughly five minutes after he rings the bell and the containers have to be disposed after the meal. “Another addition to our daily routine is washing clothes. We can’t use the common laundry so each one of us is doing it in our room now,” laughs another player. “When we left the camp in June, we knew we will be quarantined upon returning. So, all of us were mentally prepared for this.”cancer chemotherapy
For a bunch that, in good times and bad, is used to being in a group, living in quarantine presents its own set of challenges. They are finding some obvious ways to keep themselves occupied – women’s team players, for instance, are following a workout routine prepared by the coaching staff that can be done indoors. Sunil, and some other men’s team players, are managing to find space in their rooms to dribble and juggle.
But this alone isn’t enough to pass an entire day. So, an avid reader like Sreejesh has been spending a lot of time pursuing that activity while also noting down some inspiration lines in his diary. The women players, who have grown in stature on and off the field in the last few years, are using this time to further enhance their English language skills.
There is still another week before the players are allowed to step on the field. On Wednesday, the Sports Authority of India said the women’s and men’s teams will restart the camp on August 19. The wait to play competitive hockey, however, is likely to be a lot longer as both teams have no immediate international assignments and domestic hockey is yet to resume. “We can think about playing tournaments later. Right now, it will be nice to just resume training,” a player says.
Till that happens, they will have to endure more e-meetings and find motivation in old videos of themselves as well as legends from other sports.
Indian Express
2020/21 Mens & Women's Hockey League Fixtures Unveiled
Surbiton's Women Celebrate 2019 League Finals
England Hockey are excited to announce a ‘split league’ structure in the Men's and Women's Premier Divisions next season after unveiling the Men's and Women's Hockey League fixtures for 2020/21.
Taking into account the decisions made at the end of 2019/20 to manage the outcome of the curtailed season, there are some significant changes to the Premier Divisions for 2020/21. These changes follow a discussion and consultation with the Premier Division clubs over the past months.
In 2020/21, the Premier Division (with 11 teams) will see every team play each other once before Christmas in Phase 1, before splitting into two pools made up of the top six and lower five teams.
After Christmas, Phase 2 will see teams in the lower five play each other twice, while teams in the top six face the other teams in the group once. We hope this will support more 'best vs best hockey'; provide a structure where ‘every game matters’; optimise Euro Hockey League/European Club Championships preparation and support international players' immersion in the England Hockey League.
The Premier Division will start on 19/20 September and Division One/Conferences on 26/27 September. Obviously, this will all continue to be led by the Return to Play Roadmap.
The full fixture lists can be found below.
- Men's Premier Division
- Women's Premier Division
- Men's Division One North
- Men's Division One South
- Women's Division One North
- Women's Division One South
- Men's Conference North
- Men's Conference East
- Men's Conference West
- Women's Conference North
- Women's Conference East
- Women's Conference West
Premier Division
2020/21 EHL Premier Division Structure (Click on the photo to download a higher resolution version of the graphic)
The changes to Premier Divisions are a result of a discussions with clubs during June and July 2020. Having considered the outcome of the 2019/20 season and reflected on the circumstances facing the Premier Divisions in 2020/21, a process was put together with discussion papers and online forums held with participating clubs. We are grateful for the time and effort that clubs gave in responding to the consultation.
The 2020/21 season is particularly challenging for the top level of domestic hockey with elite clubs and players facing a number of issues, including potential implications of COVID-19 and a congested and challenging season with England Hockey League, two EuroHockey Leagues/European Club Championships, FIH Hockey Pro League, European Championships and Olympic Games.
Striking the right balance for the top level of domestic hockey is a difficult challenge given the competing pressures of jobs for the majority of players, European club commitments for a proportion of players and international hockey for some players. At England Hockey we aspire to work more closely with elite clubs and, over the coming years, we want to support and align the top of domestic hockey and international hockey much more. We’re excited to see how this works in 2020/21 and we hope that this approach will be a step forward. The structure as the Premier Divisions will be as follows:
In the first half of the season (Phase 1), each team will play each other once, either home or away. There are 11 rounds of fixtures and each team will play five home and five away fixtures with one free date. The fixture list has been devised to endeavour to balance travel for teams. Fixtures will run from 19 September to 13 December with some breaks when the Great Britain teams are involved in FIH Hockey Pro League matches.
When all teams have played each other once, the table will be split for Phase 2. All points earned in Phase 1 will carry over to Phase 2. The top six teams will play each other once either home or away, i.e. five further rounds of matches. Teams will have two or three home games - those who finish in the top three of the table at the end of Phase 1 will have the extra home game.
The lower five teams will play each other twice both home and away (i.e. 10 further rounds of matches), with each team playing eight matches and having two free dates.
The team finishing top of the Phase 2 top six table when all matches have been played will be champions and the other five teams will be ranked in order from second to sixth.
The team finishing top of the Phase 2 lower five table when all matches have been played will be ranked seventh and the other four teams will be ranked in order from eighth to eleventh.
It is planned for the Premier Divisions to return to 10 teams for 2021/22, although this will be reviewed during 2021. If it does, teams ranked from first to eighth will play in the Premier Division in 2021/22 and the teams ranked tenth and eleventh will be relegated to Division One. The team ranked ninth will face a play-off against the loser of the Division One North & South winners play-off for the final place. The winner of the Division One North & South winners play-off will also be promoted.
Division One & Conferences
The make-up of Division One North and South and the three Conferences are shown below.
2020/21 Men's Division One Map
2020/21 Men's Conferences Map
2020/21 Women's Division One Map
2020/21 Women's Conferences Map
Regulation Changes
Leagues regulations will be confirmed prior to the 2020-21 season, with promotion and relegation dependent on the final decision for the AGM Resolution relating to the overall structure of league hockey in England.
We will also revise existing regulations and put in place new ones aimed at ensuring compliance with guidance and managing the potential impact of Covid-19 during the season.
Return to play
Having recently moved to Step 4 of the England Hockey Return to Play guidelines, the recommendation is still to plan for the season starting on time. Information on progressing to Step 5 will be provided soon but is reliant on enough clubs being in a position to resume competitive hockey and we will be seeking clubs’ views on this.
All updates, guidance and information from England Hockey on Return to Play are available here.
England Hockey Board Media release
Revised final schedule for 2019/20 Hockey Ireland finals confirmed for September
Whisper it quietly, we have some formally confirmed fixtures on the horizon with last season's Irish cup latter stages set for September
Hockey Ireland have confirmed the revised dates for the completion of the 2019/20 cup competitions which were postponed following the imposition of COVID-19 lockdown last March.
The men’s Irish Senior Cup will – barring a change in current regulations – take place on Sunday, September 6 with Cookstown hosting UCD and Lisnagarvey welcoming Glenanne in the main event.
All games will be played under the 2019/20 rules and regulations with last season’s registrations being the relevant ones. All personal sanctions also apply, meaning – according to the Hockey Ireland website – Conor Empey must serve an outstanding one-game suspension from before the break.
Both the men’s and women’s Irish Hockey Trophy semis are down for a decision that day as well. In the former competition, holders Waterford are up against Belfast Harlequins and can deploy Sam and Isaac Johnson despite both moving to Dublin for college this term.
South Antrim coming up against Portrane, albeit with the latter missing the services of Imran Khan who has to serve a one-game ban.
North Kildare have a tricky month ahead for their women’s Trophy semi-final date against Portadown with the local lockdown in County Kildare inhibiting their efforts to be match-ready. Armagh face Lisnagarvey in the other side of the draw.
The men’s Irish Senior Cup final will be played on September 19 along with the Trophy and Irish Hockey Challenge final, the last of which is between Portrush and Antrim.
The Irish Senior Cup final between Pegasus and UCD is due on the following day; the students had announced five departures on social media recently – Lena Tice, Orla and Sarah Patton, Suzie Kelly and Abbie Russell – but all are eligible to play in the final should they be selected.
The women’s Challenge final is also on September 20 between NICS and Blackrock as is the Irish Junior Cup with Pembroke and Old Alex locking horns.
The series is complete on September 27 with the women’s Irish Hockey Trophy decider and the men’s Irish Junior Cup between Lisnagarvey and Corinthian.
Elsewhere, Hockey Ireland’s arbitration hearing with Sport Disputes Solutions Ireland over the allocation of European places is on Thursday with the outcome of the hearing likely to arrive within five days.
Irish cup finals schedule (venues for the finals will be confirmed following completion of the semi-finals)
Sunday, September 6
Men’s Irish Senior Cup, semi-finals: Cookstown v UCD, Lisnagarvey v. Glenanne
Men’s Irish Hockey Trophy, semi-finals: South Antrim v Portrane, Waterford v Belfast Harlequins
Women’s Irish Hockey Trophy, semi-finals: Armagh v Lisnagarvey, North Kildare v Portadown
Saturday, September 19
Men’s Irish Senior Cup final: tbc
Men’s Irish Hockey Trophy final: tbc
Men’s Irish Hockey Challenge final: Portrush v Antrim
Sunday, September 20:
Women’s Irish Senior Cup final: Pegasus v UCD
Women’s Irish Hockey Challenge final: NICS v Blackrock
Women’s Irish Junior Cup final: Pembroke v Old Alex
Sunday, September 27:
Women’s Irish Hockey Trophy final: tbc
Men’s Irish Junior Cup final: Lisnagarvey v. Corinthian
The Hook
Fantastic Phillimon: Zambia hockey hero Bwali reflects on 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires
In October 2018 at the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Hockey5s was one of the hottest tickets in town, with fans flocking in their thousands to the Parque Polideportivo Roca on a daily basis to watch the action in two outstanding and unpredictable under-18 competitions.
Argentina women thrilled the home supporters by triumphing in the women’s competition by beating India in the gold medal game, but the men’s title went to Malaysia, a gifted and dynamic team that earned plenty of new admirers on their epic run to glory.
Whilst Malaysia were popular winners of the men’s gold medal, it was a fearless and talented team from Africa that came closest to stealing the hearts of the locals.
Zambia arrived in Buenos Aires considered very much as outsiders, but wins against Poland and Vanuatu proved just enough for the team to finish fourth in Pool A, setting up the toughest of quarter-finals against Australia, the winners of Pool A and two-time defending champions.
Zambia had shown occasional glimpses of their talent in the pool phase, but it was incomparable to the devastating attacking hockey they produced in the quarter-finals, earning a 6-4 victory over the reigning champions in what was the biggest shock result of the competition. Fifteen-year-old striker Phillimon Bwali was the star of the show, scoring a hat-trick and proving himself to be almost unplayable throughout.
Despite suffering defeat against eventual champions Malaysia in semi-final and being beaten to bronze by hosts Argentina, Zambia left a huge impression at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games. Bwali finishing the men’s event with 13 goals, a tally bettered only by the staggering 22-goal haul of Akhimullah Anuar of Malaysia.
Speaking to FIH almost two years after the event, Phillimon Bwali reflects on his Youth Olympic Games experience and the impact it has had on his development as a player. Phillimon also talks about the next Youth Olympic Games, which will take on African soil in Dakar, Senegal in 2026 (pushed back from 2022 due to the COVID-19 global health pandemic), as well as his ambition to play at the next FIH Men’s Junior World Cup, which will take place in India in late 2021.
Hi Phillimon, thank you for talking to us. At 15 years of age, you represented Zambia at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires. Tell us about your memories of that amazing experience.
Phillimon Bwali: “It was a great experience that I had in Argentina, especially when we won against the two-time defending champions Australia. In that game we won 6-4, and I even managed to score three goals in that match.”
Representing your country at a Youth Olympic Games is a huge privilege for any young player. What did it mean to you personally, and also your family?
Phillimon Bwali: “It means a lot to me, knowing I was one of the Zambian hockey players who has been picked to represent Zambia on that big stage there in Argentina. To my family, it means a lot as well. They never thought I could play on that level. It is something great for them, and I am sure today that they are happy for what I did.”
As a current member of the Zambia men’s team, how much did your experiences at the Youth Olympic Games help with your development into a senior international player?
Phillimon Bwali: It helped me in a lot of ways, mainly I learned how to be mentally strong, to believe in myself. I [now] know I’m able to take on any country in Africa and the world at large.”
The next Youth Olympic Games will take place in Dakar, Senegal in 2026. How important do you think the 2026 Youth Olympic Games will be for Hockey in the African region?
Phillimon Bwali: “I think it will be a good thing, knowing that Africa will be hosting the Youth Olympic Games. It will be a good thing for the athletes. I can say that they just have to show what they are capable of doing, and believe in themselves.”
Finally, what is your biggest ambition with the Zambia over the coming years?
Phillimon Bwali: “My ambition is to qualify for the U-21 World Cup, and make sure that we come out [from that event] with a medal.”
To see a replay of Zambia’s surprise quarter-final Hockey5s victory over Australia at the Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires, please click here.
Zambia’s Hockey5s team honed their craft at the Olympic Youth Development Centre (OYDC), based in Lusaka.To read about how the country’s OYDC laid the foundations for their fine performances in Buenos Aires, please click here.
FIH site
Field Hockey Canada Hall of Fame Inductee – Jenny John
By Josh Rey
A true builder of the game from coast-to-coast, Jenny John gets the nod for the Field Hockey Canada Hall of Fame
For much of the 1970s, 80s and 90s, the name Jenny John was synonymous with Field Hockey in Canada. John, the legendary B.C. player, coach and administrator is being inducted into the Field Hockey Canada Hall of Fame in the Builder Category.
John arrived in Victoria from England in 1970 to teach at a private school and expected to go back to England after two years. 2020 marks the 50th year that John has lived here and considers Canada her home. She competed for Canada as a player in the 70s including representing the Red and White at the 1975 World Championships in Scotland.
“The greatest moment for me was number one, to play in Edinburgh stadium number two, to play for Canada,” said John, “…and number three, at the end, I received the flag, the international flag because Canada was to be the host in 1979. So that’s one of my special memories that I had.”
After her playing days, John worked as an administrator and set up clinics and workshops from coast-to-coast to promote field hockey in Canada. She traveled the country sharing her passion for the game and focused on the grassroots development of the sport.
“I was fortunate enough to be at the right time,” said John. “And there was money to allow me to travel. And so I travelled everywhere to promote the game and get people involved and just develop, and that way the game grew.”
John’s dedication and passion for the sport as well as her years committed to growing the game at all levels has earned her a ticket into the Field Hockey Canada Hall of Fame. Not bad for a former private school teacher who only expected to be in Canada for two years. She has won many awards and received many accolades over the years but her induction into the Hall of Fame is the icing on the cake. “This one, I’ve got goosebumps now thinking about it,” said John. “It is absolutely wonderful because it’s a gift. It’s a gift to me from Canada.”
Click here for a presentation and interview with Jenny John
Field Hockey Canada media release