Welcome to the Fieldhockey.com Archives

Daily Hockey news updated @ 10:00 GMT

News for 16 November 2020

All the news for Monday 16 November 2020


Zahir Shah calls for efforts to improve hockey standard

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan's 66th National Hockey Championship Director and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Hockey Association President Zahir Shah called for total revamping in order to bring the domestic standard to the level where it was 25 years back.

Zahir Shah said that five years of systematic and continuous efforts were required to bring the game at par with the best days it had seen in the past.

“I am really concerned to see the game’s standard not only on the field but off the field also. Though the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has started making efforts to bring the game back to its feet, a systematic approach for the next four years is required to make this happen.”

As Sunday was observed as an off day in the National Hockey Championship, Zahir Shah in his exclusive talk to ‘The News’ said that as tournament director he has suspended one umpire for failing to come up with the required standard. “Besides that, I have suspended one manager and two players from one match each for not following the rules. Managers have no clue about the rules and are trying to get involved in protest without following the procedure. I have suspended MPCL manager for one match for that very reason. A few of the umpires turning up for the championship are not fit enough to officiate matches. They should go through fitness tests ahead of such an important event before turning up to officiate matches.

“Players need to act in a mature way as any misconduct would have serious consequences especially when they go on play international hockey. Those handling teams must know and follow rules instead of turning up for such an important event out of nowhere. The PHF I hope would make arrangements to educate these officials and even ask units to make necessary arrangements for the purpose,” he said.

He also proposed at least four age-based national hockey events in a year. “The year should start with national under-16, followed by under-18, under-21 and then National Championship. In between the PHF should also hold the inter-provincial national events. Once a player represents in junior events, he should not be considered for the same age event again. The more age categories events the PHF will organise the better it will be to broaden the pool of players. As a KP Hockey president, I offer my services to help out PHF in its efforts.”

He said he would also suggest that once a player gets dropped from the probables’ list, his inclusion in the next camp should be based on genuine reason. “You can’t include a player in the camp without his showing form, fitness and ability to match the best. The selection out of nowhere only damages the overall standard.”

The News International



FIH President gets Capital Foundation’s Annual Award 2020



New Delhi, 15 November 2020: FIH President Dr Narinder Dhruv Batra has been awarded with Capital Foundation National Award 2020 in a virtual ceremony on Saturday.  The hockey admino has been recognized for his 4-decade long contribution towards sports promotion.

He was joined on the special virtual stage by Chief Guest Shri Arif Mohd. Khan, Hon’ble Governor of Kerala, along with some of the country’s most decorated parliamentarians, civil servants, judges, diplomats, journalists, scholars and professionals.

The Capital Foundation Annual Lecture & Awards 2020 were conducted by the Justice Krishna Iyer Free Legal Aid Cell and Capital Foundation Society. The Society brings together persons of thought and interest who deliberate and articulate public opinion on vital issues. Since its inception in 1987, the Capital Foundation Society has been instrumental in and engaged in providing a public platform for dialogue and debate on issues of national and international importance. Over the course of its existence, more than 250 such events have been organised by the Foundation, and sport has remained one of the key topics of discussions in those debates.

Dr Batra, who was the winner of the prestigious Award on the day, was a former hockey player himself during his youth. However, his major involvement with sport came after he started his administrative journey by becoming the President of the Jammu & Kashmir Hockey Association in 1997, a position he held till 2011. He was also the Treasurer of the Delhi & District Cricket Association between 2005-2013, and also went on to become the Secretary General of Hockey India after its inception, and also served as its President from 2014 – 2016. Acting as a long-serving, integral leader of sports administration in India, Dr Batra led hockey to newer heights with his path-breaking initiatives, and brought it back to the limelight, helping the players, coaches, and the administration to work in tandem towards achieving their objectives.

It was in November 2016 that Dr Batra became the first and the only Indian to lead the International Hockey Federation (FIH) as it’s President. During his time with the FIH, Dr Batra has played a vital role in leading the Hockey Revolution to more nations, and expansion of the sport of hockey across the globe. In June 2019, Dr Batra was also elected as a Member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) after being among the 15 out of 207 NOC Members of the IOC to get nominated for the post.

A deeply passionate sports administrator, Dr Batra is also the first Indian to be President of any International Summer or Winter Olympic Body, and also the only Indian to be jointly serving as President of an International Federation as well as a National Olympic Committee (NOC). His induction to the IOC meant that Dr Batra had become the only Indian serving as President International Federation, Member IOC as well as President NOC.

Congratulating Dr Batra on the occasion, Gyanendro Ningombam, President, Hockey India said, “On behalf of Hockey India, I would like to congratulate our former President Dr Narinder Dhruv Batra on receiving the prestigious Capital Foundation National Award 2020 at the Capital Foundation Annual Lecture & Awards 2020 for his contribution in the field of Sports. Given his role in professionalizing sports administration in India, and his dedication towards the upliftment of all sports, it is a much deserved recognition. Indian Hockey has also benefited under his earlier leadership as Hockey India President with him dedicating more than three decades of his life towards creating a new path for the sport with his popular initiatives that have helped in reviving the sport and has resulted in India truly embracing the Hockey Revolution. All of us at Hockey India hope that he continues to keep shining his light over various sports including hockey and is recognized for many more such accolades in the future.”

Stick2Hockey.com



CAC Hockey gold medallist Malcolm laid to rest

Hubert Lawrence


Malcolm

Under normal circumstances, the local hockey fraternity would be preparing to celebrate the 30th anniversary of its greatest victory. Instead, the fraternity is mourning Sharon Malcolm, who led Jamaica to that landmark gold medal in the 1990 Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games. Malcolm died on October 20 and was laid to rest on November 7 after a battle with cancer.

Audrey Gaynor, another member of the team that upset hosts Mexico to take gold in late November 1990, said Malcolm’s passing was a tremendous loss.

“She led by example,” Gaynor said of Malcolm. “She was always fit and always a very good and skilful midfielder. You could depend on Sharon. She covered everybody as the captain.”

In addition, Gaynor said, the player known as ‘Mally’ played a key role in the CAC upset.

“She and Andrea Stephenson made a formidable midfield team, and that contributed to the great success that we had in Mexico 1990,” Gaynor said.

Malcolm wasn’t vociferous. Describing her as “a quiet force”, Gaynor said: “She was the person that didn’t like controversy. She would always err on the side of, ‘Okay, let us just be calm and see if there is an easier way to resolve the situation.’”

Head girl at St Hugh’s in the 1979-’80 school year, Malcolm played for Tropics Hockey Club locally and represented Jamaica from 1981, starting with a place on the national under-21 team until 1991. She was a member of the 1986 CAC Games runner-up and 1987 Pan-Am Games teams.

She retired from international competition after helping Jamaica to fifth place at the 1991 Pan-Am Games.

Off the field of play, Malcolm worked in accounting for several organisations, including the Urban Development Corporation and Texaco with distinction. A graduate of The University of the West Indies, she served Texaco from 2001 onward, starting in accounting and as aviation commercial supervisor at the time of her death. In addition, she played administrative roles in her club as treasurer and club captain and also in the Jamaica Women’s Hockey Association as treasurer.

Malcolm’s ailment was first diagnosed in 2013, but Gaynor says her former captain battled gallantly.

“Overall, I thought, just as she was on the pitch, she fought bravely,” the heartbroken teammate said.

Jamaica Gleaner

Fieldhockey.com uses cookies to assist with navigating between pages. Please leave the site if you disagree with this policy.
Copyright remains with the credited source or author