MUSCAT, JAN 8
International Hockey Federation (FIH) President Tayyab Ikram hoped that the first edition of Hockey 5s World Cup in the Sultanate of Oman would be a game-changer for the region in terms of hockey.
“I hope the inaugural Hockey 5s World Cup in Oman will act as a major boost for hockey in the Gulf region,” Tayyab Ikram (pictured) told Oman Observer in an exclusive interview.
“The stakes are high on the event and it depends how you present the championship to the public and to the international audience,” Ikram said on the sidelines of the Junior AHF Cup tournament currently underway in Muscat. Ikram, in his first visit to Oman after being elected as FIH president in November 2022, held talks with the top leadership of Oman regarding the hosting of the FIH Hockey5s World Cup.
Ikram met top leadership of Oman government, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth (MCSY), Oman Olympic Committee Chairman Shaikh Khalid al Zubair, and the Oman Hockey Association office-bearers.
“The government has taken up the matter with top priority. Infrastructure is the main component of the event and that is already in place. We need final makeshifts and re-arrangement of the venue that will be done in due course,” the top official of the world hockey governing body said.
Oman is poised to host the inaugural edition of the FIH Hockey5s World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for men’s and women’s hockey 5s teams in January 2024.
Regarding the preparations for the World Cup, he said the organisers are in a comfort zone to arrange all the facilities on schedule.
“Oman will have a state-of-the-art spectator gallery along with a VIP zone at the main ground.”
A new hockey turf will be laid on the main hockey stadium at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex for the World Cup.
“We will lay a new turf in the main stadium and it will have two hockey’s pitches in it along with the training facilities.”
“After the World Cup the hockey’s pitch will be shifted to the adjacent area of the stadium and will have a permanent hockey’s pitch there. Then, it will be two full size pitches inside the stadium and a hockey’s pitch just outside — making up a high-performance hockey arena for Muscat,” the official from Macau said.
The FIH chief is leaving for India soon for the inauguration of FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2023 in the eastern Indian state of Odisha from January 13 to 29.
“The World Cup is our iconic event. All arrangements are in place for a spectacular edition in India. We will have a grand opening at the joint venues of Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar and the brand-new Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela,” he said.
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