First Bharat Ratna should go to Dhyan Chand

First Bharat Ratna should go to Dhyan Chand---- By K. Arumugam( stick2hockey.com)

The time for sports lovers at large including cricket fans, has come. There have been voices -- which count in India -- as to cricket genius Sachin Tendulkar should be honoured with the top most civilian award Bharat Ratna (Jewel of India).

No sportsperson in India have ever been bestowed with this honour. This is in itself bad considering some unworthy individuals from other walks of life have got it. That is a different matter though.

Recently Maharashtra Chief Minister proposed in the State Assembly that Sachin should be given this honour which is passed unanimously. Sachin’s familiarity transcends all provincial boundaries, why then his home State alone should talk about this? This is a time tested politicians striving to get some cheap publicity. Nothing more than that.

Yesterday, Sachin candidly admitted MS Dhoni is the best skipper he played under. We welcomed the grace of Sachin, and savoured the moment. That should be the team spirit.

Today, perhaps as a return gift, the skipper himself advocated Bharat Ratna for Sachin. 'If he doesn't get, no one else' was his line of argument.

We, sports lovers first, would be delighted if someone a living legend like Sachin getting Bharat Rata. But we have a rider -- and we are serious about it.

This coveted award should first be given to hockey wizard Dhyan Chand posthumously. After that, it can can go to other sporting greats starting with Sachin, and why not.

Dhyan Chand, a low level solider in the British Indian Army, is world hockey’s first hero. Just like Bradman is cricket’s first global hero; Sachin is not first hero of his chosen sport, he is current hero. Time is a crucial factor, scoring hattrick of goals against Germany by a non-Aryan Dhyan Chand in the Olympics organized by Adolf Hitler has no match to it. There may have been other sporting feats in the history of India, but this Berlin magic has its own.

Because of Dhyan Chand and his achievements, hockey as a sport grew in India, and became the National Game.

He got us three Olympic gold, where his feats were outstanding all through. He scored goals in the finals especially, and inspired his generation of players to deliver.

All his game have been unblemished just like Bradman in cricket. Sachin despite his greatness did not score in many crucial games, including the latest World Cup final, as an aberration.

There is statue of Dhyan Chand in Delhi, national stadium is named after him, his birth anniversary has been declared as National Sports Day on which Arjuna and other sporting awards are disbursed by none other than the first citizen of this country.

All these have been done as per the popular wish of the country, and in recognition of hockey’s contribution to the sporting legacy of India, even now 8 out of 9 Olympic golds that India won, has the label of hockey.

Give Sachin a Bharat Ratna, not because Maharashtra Government wants, or because MS Dhoni recommends, but because he deserves it, the nation at large would cherish that.

But, it will be injustice to the soul of Dhyan Chand if that award is not conferred on him first before anybody else is thought of.

Civil society in India will not tolerate such an insult. It will rise against if such injustice would ever occur.

K. Arumugam is a hockey historian, his article on Dhyan Chand was in the XI standard English Text book (CBSE syllabus) for many years (2002-2008).

Penalty Stroke "OUT", Penalty Shootout "IN"

Shootouts to make FIH debut


With the next round of FIH tournaments just around the corner, one of the biggest changes to FIH Regulations is about to be put to the test with the Penalty Shoot-out Competition replacing the Penalty Stroke Competition to determine the result of tied classification matches. The first tournament that will see this is the Women’s Champions Challenge 2, which is due to be played in Vienna between 7 and 15 May.

The FIH.ch team caught up with FIH Competitions Manager Martyn Gallivan to help players, officials, spectators and TV audiences better understand what awaits the game with the latest amendments to the FIH Regulations.

What are the key differences between a penalty stroke and a shoot-out?
A penalty stroke is a single shot by an attacker against a goalkeeper. The ball is placed on the penalty spot 6.4 metres from the back line. A good comparison for a newcomer to hockey would be to say that it is similar to a penalty kick in football. In a Penalty Shoot-out, the ball is placed on the 23-metre line, with an attacker next to it and a goalkeeper in goal on the back line. When the whistle is blown the attacker has 8 seconds in which to try and score a goal. This more mirrors what ice hockey has as it is permitted for the attacker to move the ball forward before taking a shot.

Why has the FIH decided to change from a penalty stroke to a penalty shoot-out?
FIH Competitions Committee has been researching whether or not to move away from Penalty Stroke competitions for the last two years. After much discussion and research, it was decided to use Penalty Shoot-outs because they ultimately better replicate real game situations and tend to require more skill, and as such are a better way to determine a tied match.

When do the new regulations take effect?
Immediately. The first time we will see them in use is at the upcoming Champions Challenge 2 in Vienna.

Does this mean all tied matches will now be decided in a penalty shoot-out?
No, there will still be matches that remained tied at the end of regulation time. Just as before with the Penalty Stroke competition, the Penalty Shoot-out will only be used in classification matches (quarterfinals, semi-finals, medal games, etc). Penalty Strokes will still remain during normal time for offences that require more than a Penalty Corner.

So is the plan for London 2012 to have a shoot-out as well?
Yes, assuming a classification game ends in a tie, then there will be a Penalty Shoot-out.

Are shoot-outs currently used anywhere else in competition?
Yes. They have been used in the Australian Hockey League since 2001 and the EuroHockey League since it started in 2007/2008.

Are there any other major regulation changes that are due to take effect?
The biggest changes that will be noticed are a few things that we have been testing for the last few events. For example, the two-minute suspension for a green card has been made permanent, while the same procedure is being applied to yellow cards. Also, the experimental rule about a defender breaking the line or an attacker entering the circle too early at a penalty corner and having to go to the half-way line, has been made permanent.

During this year’s Champions Trophy and Champions Challenge tournaments we are also trying different competition formats. For example in the Rabo FIH Champions Trophy Women being played in Amsterdam, we trying a second phase of pool matches after the initial ones, followed by classification matches. In the other tournaments we are trialing knock out matches after the initial pool matches. Both of these make for longer tournaments and should provide more interest for teams and spectators alike throughout the whole tournament.

BLUE ASTRO TURF PITCH FOR 2012 OLYMPICS.

Hockey has made a bold bid for our attention in 2012. It has announced that its pitches will be blue - and pink around the edges too. "The colour blue will define Hockey in 2012," says Locog's Debbie Jevans. "I really like the pink surround," declares Great Britain international Alex Danson. "It's another great example of hockey's willingness to lead the way."

All concerned stress that the great benefit of blue is that it makes a nice sharp contrast with the white ball for the benefit of both players and spectators, live and armchair alike. But if a need for an extra bit of brand definition played a part in the decision to switch from traditional green, the hockey authorities can hardly be blamed. Their sport, after all, has to fight for attention along with all the other smaller sports. After that, it has to make the most of whatever exposure it gets.

The designers of the two-pitch Olympic hockey centre - due for completion next spring - where the Olympics matches will be held anticipate it's being "one of the four cornerstones of the Olympic Park." But even if the tournaments are thrilling the venue will not be permanent. The longer-term future of top hockey in Britain lies in Eton Manor at the Park's northern tip. During the Games this site will contain training pools for participants in the various aquatic events, then host the Paralympic wheelchair tennis. The plan is that the facility will then be converted into a joint tennis and hockey centre, where up to 15,000 fans of big time hockey will be able to gather.

Olympic qualifiers main target: Rajpal Singh

Defending champions India will face China in their opening match of the 19th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup International hockey tournament starting at Ipoh, Malaysia on May 6.

The win or loss in Sultan Azlan Shah hockey tournament will not make much difference as the team is bracing up for the tough challenge ahead — to qualify for the 2012 London Olympics, said Indian captain Rajpal Singh.

A 45-member Indian squad started its preparation for the Azlan Shah Cup to be held in Kuala Lumpur from May 5 under the watchful eyes of national coach Harendra Singh at Major Dhyan Chand national stadium here on Tuesday.

After missing out on a gold medal finish at Guangzhou Asian games in November last year, India now have to go through the tough qualifying rounds to confirm their participation in the London Olympics.

“Win or loss in Azlan Shah cup tournament does not matter much to us as we see it as the beginning of our preparation for the tough Olympic qualifiers, which will start next year,” Rajpal told PTI Bhasha.

India and South Korea were the co-winners of Azlan Shah Cup last year.

Eight-time Olympic gold medal winner India, for the first time in 80 years (since their debut in 1928), had failed to take part in 2008 Beijing Olympics after the shocking 0-2 loss against Great Britain in the final of the Olympic qualifiers in Santiago.

The preparatory camp is being held after the break of more than three months but Rajpal said the long gap will not affect the form and fitness of the players.

“All the international teams were on break during this period so I don’t think it will affect us. Also almost all the Indian players were busy playing domestic tournaments and National Games. We were not completely away from the game.

“We have to play a lot of international hockey ahead so the focus will be on fitness. We will work hard on this aspect,” said Rajpal.

The Indian team has been without a coach since Jose Brasa was sacked in November, following India’s bronze-medal finish at the Asian Games. Harendra had also resigned from the post on moral grounds but Hockey India did not accept his resignation.

Rajpal said Harendra shares good camaraderie with players.

“Harendra is there with the team for almost two years now and shares very good rapport with the team. He is aware of each and everyone’s calibre hence we don’t have any problem with him,” said the captain.

FIH World hockey League

The FIH today took a critical step in developing its next major competition after sending out letters of invitation to teams wishing to participate in the FIH World League.

The FIH World League is set to make its debut in 2012 and will give every member of the FIH the opportunity to play for a place in the FIH World Cup or the Olympic Games. During the 2012-2013 period, the World League will qualify four teams directly into the 2014 FIH World Cup in The Hague, Netherlands.

“We are delighted to be moving ahead with the World League competition,” said FIH Chief Executive Officer Kelly Fairweather. “We have long wanted to start an international competition that goes over multiple rounds and gives every nation a change to reach our elite events. With the World League, we have just that.”

The FIH World League, which has also previously been referred to as the World Series, will be played in four rounds. The first two rounds will take place in the 2012 calendar year, while the third and fourth rounds will conclude the cycle in 2013. The event will include men and women’s teams.

Teams have until April 1st, 2011 to confirm their participation in the FIH World League.

The men’s and women’s teams ranked first through eighth in the FIH World Ranking will receive an automatic bye to Round Three. Teams ranked in the next tier, 9th-16th will get an automatic ticket to Round Two. FIH World Ranking points will be awarded at each level. The details of the points will be announced at a later date.

The number of First Round tournaments will depend entirely on the number of entries received by the FIH. This makes the World League unique in that every nation has a chance to join the road to the World Cup and/or Olympics.

“It has long been the ambition of the FIH to give every country a chance to make it to the highest possible level,” said Fairweather. “The World League gives the smaller nations valuable international experience, while allowing them to have the chance to play the role of David against some of the Goliath countries.”

It is expected that the first round of competition will be kept as local as possible to keep travel costs to a minimum. To this end, FIH will be working closely with its five Continental Federations to organize these tournaments. Those teams making it to Round Two will join the 9th-16th ranked nations in a more regional event that may include teams from varying continents.

At the end of Round Two, eight teams will move onto Round Three to join the top eight teams that are automatically qualified. The third round will then be played in two groups of eight.

Finally in 2013, the champion will be crowned in a final round. The number of teams qualified will be determined by if the host made it through the qualification process.

While the host nations for the first two rounds have yet to be determined, those for Rounds Three and Four were already decided by the FIH Executive Board. They are:

Men’s Women’s
3A Pakistan (Feb. 2013) The Netherlands (June 2013)
3B Germany (June 2013) China (June 2013)
4 India (September 2013) Argentina (December 2013)


According to the current FIH World Ranking, the following teams would receive the byes through the Rounds Two or Three:


Men’s teams ranked 1 – 8 (bye to Round 3)
Australia, Germany, Netherlands, England, Spain, Korea, New Zealand and Pakistan

Men’s teams ranked 9 – 16 (bye to Round 2)
India, Canada, Argentina, South Africa, Belgium, China, Malaysia and Japan

Women’s teams ranked 1 – 8 (bye to Round 3)
Argentina, Netherlands, Germany, China, England, Australia, New Zealand and Korea

Women’s teams ranked 9 – 16 (bye to Round 2)
Japan, Spain, India, South Africa, USA, Azerbaijan, Ireland and Chile

FIH INDOOR HOCKEY WORLD CUP FINALS WOMEN'S RESULTS

Women – Final – Netherlands vs. Germany: 2-4

Dream Final for this 2011 FIH Indoor World Cup between the last two winners: The Netherlands, winner 4 years ago in Vienna, and Germany, winner of the original Indoor World Cup in 2003. Both teams cruised undefeated through the pools and convincingly won their Semi-Final here in Poznan.


Final Standings - Women
1. Germany
2. Netherlands
3. Ukraine
4. Belarus
5. Poland
6. Czech Republic
7. Austria
8. Australia
9. Argentina
10. Namibia
11. Uruguay
12. Kazakhstan

Tournament Awards - Women
Player of the tournament: Belle van MEER (Netherlands)
Top Scorer: Belle van MEER (Netherlands), 11 goals
Best Goalkeeper: Barbara VOGEL (Germany)
Best U-21 player: Paulina OKAJ (Poland)

FIH INDOOR HOCKEY WORLD CUP FINALS MEN'S RESULTS

Men - Final – Germany v. Poland: 3-2

For the third time in the short history of the Indoor World Cup, Germany and Poland met in the Final. They have clearly been the class of the tournament here in Poznan and met earlier in pool play in a thriller that ended in favour of the home team (3-2). Poland had to fend off a strong challenge from Austria in Semi-Final while Germany had an easy task to get past Russia.

Final Standings Men
1. Germany
2. Poland
3. Austria
4. Russia
5. Netherlands
6. England
7. Australia
8. Czech Republic
9. Iran
10. Canada
11. USA
12. Namibia

Tournament Awards - Men
Player of the Tournament: Dariusz RACHWALSKI (Poland)
Top Scorer: Robert TIGGES (Netherlands), 16 goals
Best Goalkeeper: Mariusz CHYLA (Poland)
Best U-21 Player: Patrick SCHMIDT (Austria)

INDOOR HOCKEY WORLD CUP 08th FEB RESULTS

The FIH Indoor World Cup has got underway in Poznan, Poland, with the crowds enjoying plenty of goals on the first day. Germany men in particular were on fire, netting 18 goals against Namibia, while Belarus women also moved into double figures in their triumph over the Africans. However, host nation Poland delighted the home supporters with victories for both their men’s and women’s teams.

Men Russia - USA 6:2 (3:1)
Women Czech R. - Austria 1:0 (0:0)
Men Austria - Iran 5:1 (2:0)
Women Netherlands - Kazakhstan 9:0 (4:0)
Men Germany - Namibia 18:0 (7:0)
Women Ukraine - Argentina 2:1 (1:0)
Men Czech R. - England 1:2 (0:0)
Women Germany - Uruguay 2:0 (2:0)
Women Australia - Poland 1:2 (0:1)
Women Belarus - Namibia 12:0 (6:0)
Men Poland - Australia 3:1 (2:1)
Men Netherlands - Canada 5:1 (1:0)

FIH INDOOR WORLD CUP STARTS TODAY

The FIH INDOOR WORLD CUP- POZNAN 2011 begins on Tuesday 8th February 2011 at 12.30 (GMT +1), with the men of Russia and the USA being the first teams to take to the field on Pitch 1. To find out more information about the FIH Indoor World Cup 2011, please visit the tournament website: http://www.poznan2011.sportcentric.com .

KUMAR IS ASIA'S BEST GOALKEEPER

Malaysian goalkeeper S. Kumar was today named as Asia's best player by the Asian Hockey Federation at its Congress held in Kuala Lumpur.

The 32 year old was the first Malaysian to win the award as prior to this Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin was awarded the Best Youth Player award.
It was indeed a surprise for Kumar, who has been adjudged the best goalkeeper in eight international tournaments.

The year 2010 was a mixed year for Kumar who lost his father, Subramaniam, in the midst of the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.
But he went on to represent Malaysia at the Asian Games, where Malaysia won the silver medal, their first ever such medal in the Asian Games.
"It is indeed a honour that I will cherish and I dedicate this award to my late father who encouraged me right from the begining," said Kumar.
"Without the sacrifices of my father, I will not be here today.
"My dream is to play at the Olympics and the next one year will be difficult as Malaysia needs to prepare well for the qualifiers."

ASIAN HOCKEY FEDERATION AWARDS

SULTAN AZLAN SHAH AWARD
Thailand Hockey Association

MEMBER OF HONOUR
Dato’ Seri Muneyoshi Ueda – Japan

ORDER OF MERIT
Mr. Mathavan Devadas – Singapore

AHF PRESIDENT’S AWARD FOR MAN
Mr. Lei Jun – China

AHF PRESIDENT’S AWARD FOR WOMAN
Ms. Shun Jun Hee – Korea

AHF PLAYERS AWARD – 2009
Man – You Hyo Sik (Korea)
Woman – Baorung Fu (China)
Boy – Muhammad Tooseeq (Pakistan)
Girl – Mazuki Arai (Japan)

AHF PLAYERS AWARD – 2010
Man – S. Kumar (Malaysia)
Woman – Park Mih Yun (Korea)
Boy – Syed Kashif Shah (Pakistan)
Girl – Zhao Yudiao