Islah irked by FIH move to do away with Champions Trophy
Noted former Olympian Islahuddin Siddiqui has criticised the International Hockey Federation (FIH) move to do away with the prestigious Champions Trophy after 2018 and replace it with the World Global League.
Noted former Olympian Islahuddin Siddiqui has criticised the International Hockey Federation (FIH) move to do away with the prestigious Champions Trophy after 2018 and replace it with the World Global League.
“Champions Trophy is very dear to people of Pakistan as it donated the trophy and played host to the inaugural event at Lahore way back in 1978,” Islahuddin, who led Pakistan to victory in the first Champions Trophy, said in a statement on Sunday.
He recalled that it was the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) president retired Air Marshal Nur Khan and the secretary retired Brig M. H. Atif who conceived the idea and convinced the then FIH president Rene Frank to have another event after the Olympics and World Cup.
The former right winger of repute said the FIH president Leonardo Negre was doing good work for the game but it was not wise to introduce World Global League at the expense of Champions Trophy and that too, after 40 years.
He called upon the FIH to rethink the plan in their next meeting and restrain from taking such a harsh decision which will have a negative impact on Pakistan whose contribution to the game speaks high.
At the same time he urged the PHF hierarchy and their representatives in the FIH Board to strongly resist the move.
(Source: Dawn News)
