News for 03 March 2024
All the news for Central Asia Championship 2024
Andijan (UZB)
All times GMT +5
Men
26 Feb 2024 10:30 KAZ v TJK (One Pool) 0 - 2
26 Feb 2024 14:30 UZB v KGZ (One Pool) 13 - 0
27 Feb 2024 14:30 TJK v KGZ (One Pool) 5 - 0
27 Feb 2024 16:30 UZB v KAZ (One Pool) 8 - 1
29 Feb 2024 14:30 KAZ v KGZ (One Pool) 8 - 0
29 Feb 2024 16:30 TJK v UZB (One Pool) 0 - 11
2 Mar 2024 10:30 KAZ v KGZ (3/4th Place) 8 - 0
2 Mar 2024 14:30 UZB v TJK (Final) 7 - 0
Pool Standings
Women
26 Feb 2024 12:30 KAZ v TJK (One Pool) 13 - 1
28 Feb 2024 16:30 UZB v KAZ (One Pool) 1 - 1
1 Mar 2024 16:30 TJK v UZB (One Pool) 0 - 15
2 Mar 2024 16:30 UZB v KAZ (Final) 1 - 2
Pool standings
FIH Match Centre
Paris 2024 Hockey Olympic tournaments match schedules to be revealed on 6 March at Olympic House!
The International Hockey Federation (FIH) is glad to announce that the match schedules of the Paris 2024 hockey Olympic tournaments – women and men – will be unveiled on 6 March at the Olympic House in Lausanne by IOC President Thomas Bach and FIH President Tayyab Ikram. 
Western Province Men and KZN Raiders Women defend their titles at the SPAR & Tops at SPAR Indoor Hockey IPT
A frenetic four days across two Western Cape venues have reached their conclusion and our champions have been crowned. Ultimately it was the defending champions in both tournaments who followed similar scripts to reverse their pool stage defeat and emerge victorious.
South African Hockey Unveils Mustapha Cassiem and Tegan Fourie as Indoor Hockey Players of the Year
South African Hockey proudly announced Mustapha Cassiem and Tegan Fourie as the SA Indoor Hockey Players of the Year during the inaugural SA Indoor Hockey Awards ceremony held at the Wynberg Military Base in Western Cape.
Hockey Ireland Domestic Weekend Results Round-Up – Saturday March 2
EY HOCKEY LEAGUE MEN’S DIVISION 1: THREE ROCK ROVERS V YMCA
This game failed an early morning pitch inspection, there was ice and residual snow still on the field, so the game was postponed. It will be rescheduled for another date in due course.
Indian Men’s Hockey Team midfielder Manpreet Singh recalls his top 5 moments after making 350 appearances
The charismatic midfielder made his 350th appearance against Spain on 10th February
New Delhi: Manpreet Singh, the prolific midfielder from Mithapur, Punjab, began playing hockey as a means to support his family and never imagined that he would become a crucial cog in the Indian Men’s Hockey Team, let alone achieve 350 appearances for India. He reached the milestone when India took on Spain in their first match of the FIH Hockey Pro League 2023/24 at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium in Bhubaneswar on 10th February 2024.
With experience, things have changed for me: PR Sreejesh
PR Sreejesh (Getty Images)
Goalkeeper PR Sreejesh highlighted how experience has taught him to avoid dwelling on negative thoughts, a skill that has proved invaluable during crucial moments while defending the goalpost for the Indian team.
An Evening with Decorated Olympian Mudassar Asghar
By Ijaz Chaudhry
It was the 13th episode of ‘Meet A Hockey Stalwart’ organized by Major (retd) Peerzada, Pakistan’s hockey international of the early 1980s. The stalwart this time was Col (retd) Mudassar Asghar. The inside right was a member of Pakistan’s two Olympic medal-winning teams: Silver in 1972 & bronze in 1976. He also had a long spell as the secretary of PHF (1993-1999) which saw Pakistan winning its last global title, the 1994 World Cup. Earlier that year, Pakistan had also won the annual Champions trophy after 14 years, magnificently hosted in Lahore.
The distinguished gathering at Lahore’s picturesque golf and country club included several hockey greats: Dr. Tariq Aziz (victorious captain of the 1968 Olympics), legendary full-back Manzoorul Hassan (1982 World Cup winner), Lt Col (retd) Saeed Khan (1978 World Cup winner) and Usman Sheikh (1994 World Cup winner). Also present were prominent personalities from other sports such as Lt Col Asif Dar, Wing Commander Pervaiz Saeed Mir and Lt Col Asif Mehdi.
Mudassar Asghar recalled, “I started hockey in Rawalpindi, the country’s biggest hockey centre of the time. In 1966, I played my first nationals for the Rawalpindi Zone. The very next year, I was good enough to represent Rawalpindi against the visiting Dutch national side. We drew 0-0. I missed a couple of nationals during my cadetship at the Pakistan Military Academy. The army team called me for the 1969 national championships though I was still at the academy- a rarity. My international debut for Pakistan came in December 1971 in Holland in a test match against the hosts. At the 1972 Olympics, Pakistan lost in the final against the erstwhile West Germany.
Dissatisfied with the umpiring, Pakistani players misbehaved during the medal ceremony and 13 of us including me were banned by the FIH for life (later reduced to one year). It was my disallowed goal which caused the most consternation. I returned to the national folds in 1974. My next and last title tournament was the 1976 Olympics. On the domestic scene, I continued with the army team till 1980 captaining them in the last six years. Also led the Pakistan services team at the 1979 International Military Sports Council games where we ended third.”
Next, he turned to coaching.
“In 1980, I was sent to Mexico for three years to coach both the men's and women's national teams. I had a stint as the Pakistan team’s coach in 1987-88. We won the Indira Gandhi Tournament and finished second at the 1988 Champions Trophy. As the PHF’s secretary, 1994 was the most satisfying year. In 1995, I was the manager of the Pakistan team which won the pre-Olympic tournament in Atlanta. The preparations for the Olympics were going well. But it all came to nothing. A section of players revolted against me the day before the team's announcement. I left the team and Pakistan finished sixth at the 1996 Olympics- the worst position till then.“
Col Mudassar expressed his gratitude to all those present especially Major Peerzada, the organizer of the event.
Ijaz Chaudhry writes on hockey and other sports. For more about him and his work, visit http://www.sportsorrespondent.info
‘Fantastic challenge’: What I learned from umpiring my first club hockey game
Rookie umpire Alastair Whatley, Southgate HC’s secretary, talks through his experience blowing the whistle for his first league game.
Umpiring is a fantastic challenge for this writer PIC: WORLDSPORTPICS FRANK UIJLENBROEK
I was definitely nervous. The tell tale signs were there. Too much caffeine consumed. Inability to hold a conversation for longer than 30 seconds. Eyes looking heaven wards hoping for a reprieve from the weather Gods. Worse, a fulcrum of umpires and ‘supporters’ were gathering on the balcony to offer their festive cheer and wisdom. It looked like a long 80 minutes was about to follow. But there was no turning back.