The lack of club culture in India will not be an issue in the country hosting the World Inter-Club Championships in 2013 as any team like a company, a university or an institution can participate in it, according to International Hockey Federation President Leandro Negre.
Negre acknowledged that club culture was lacking in India as compared to that prevalent in Europe but that was not an issue in allocating the World Inter-Club Championships to the South Asian Country.
“I accept that the club culture in these parts of the World are not the same as we have in Europe, but the concept of a club is broader than it is generally presumed,” Negre, who was here in connection with the Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament, said.
“Any company, institution or university, or for that matter any team that plays hockey can be recognised as a club,” he said.
Negre said India has agreed to bear the cost of hosting a world clubs event for men and women in 2013.
The inaugural World Inter-Club Championship is likely to be an eight team competition and the FIH is seeking to allocate one major event to India every year.
Negre said that the FIH was also in talks with sponsors to start a top-class domestic professional hockey league in India but made it clear that it will be conducted through its recognised affiliated association.
He said the players in any league, domestic or otherwise, can only be allowed to appear in a league after approval from the FIH and its affiliated national associations.
“We are constantly assessing the situation in India, from where we have several offers for a professional league. We’ll be happy as a league will bring a lot of money to the players, but the FIH alone will give the approval for players,” said Negre, who is travelling from Malaysia to India tomorrow to scrutinise the plans for the men’s Champions Trophy to be held in New Delhi in December.
The FIH’s income from the 2010 World Cup in New Delhi has reinforced that India is the biggest revenue earner for the world body. But Negre says the FIH is not in India to make money only.
“I’ve read some criticism that the FIH is in India to make money, but I need to emphasize that this is not true. We are not there to take profits out of India. The World Cup in India was very successful, and we’re looking forward to some more exciting events.”
