With FIH not agreeing to the joint administration of hockey in India, by Indian Hockey Federation and Hockey India, it opens up an opportunity for Malaysia to host the Olympic Qualifiers next February.
This comes about after FIH made a statement yesterday with regards to the joint administration and one para of the press release should send pulses racing within the MHF, that is if they can seize the moment.
" The FIH Executive Board is obliged to uphold the Olympic Charter and the FIH Statutes. The FIH President has therefore written to the Indian Sports Minister, calling for an urgent meeting, involving the Presidents of HI and the IOA, to discuss the FIH’s concerns and the ramifications of the current proposal for India’s role in world hockey. In the meantime, the FIH Executive Board has decided that it is neither possible nor appropriate to continue with the discussions with HI to host tournaments in India over the next 4 year cycle, particularly the FIH Men’s Champions Trophy (December 2011), and the FIH Men’s & Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournaments (February 2012)."
Simply put, it means that FIH may take away the hosting rights for the two tournaments - Champions Trophy and Olympic Qualifiers.
Hence MHF should play it's cards right by stepping up to offer to play hosts for the Qualifiers.
But then again we too have issues with FIH that have to be resolved. The fact that our own merger has been delayed, or rather MHF sought a delay from September to December this year will not help our cause.
But more of that later as MHC has been issued a letter by FIH which they have yet to make public.
And by this December I will have to change the headings - no more MHF and MWHA but just MHC.
