2010 hockey World Cup to be held in Delhi: FIH

Hyderabad, Jul 18 (UNI) Ending months of uncertainty and speculation, the Federation of International Hockey (FIH) today confirmed Delhi as the venue for the 2010 World Cup.

The decision was taken at a meeting between the FIH and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) ad-hoc committee on the sidelines of the Junior Asia Cup here.

''There is no doubts or uncertainties over this. The 2010 World Cup wil definitely be held in Delhi,'' FIH president Els van Breda Vriesman told mediapersons after the meeting.

According to Vriesman, the FIH chose India for the prestigious event in order to raise the profile of the game in the country.

''The FIH sees this as an opportunity to nourish Indian hockey,'' Vriesman informed. ''We look to host more and more tournaments in India.'' Speaking on the resignation of Ric Charlesworth as Indian hockey's technical advisor, the FIH president said,''As far as we are concerned, Charlesworth's role as a technical advisor is over.

He has completed his study, submitted the reports and finished his job. He was in India in the capacity of a technical advisor and he has given his views on the development of Indian hockey, which is confidential, and a copy of which is with Mohammad Aslam Khan in his capacity as the convenor of the IOA ad-hoc committee. As far as the FIH is concerned, he has finished what he came here for.'' ''The Charlesworth issue has no connection to the 2010 World Cup.

The World Cup is, of course, directly linked to the implementation and the success of the recommendations of Project Indian Hockey. Now that the project is ready to be implemented, we hope the IOA will start work on it without delay,'' she added.

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