Asian Hockey elects new executive board

MUNGYEONG, South Korea: The Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) elected its new executive board in its Ordinary Congress 'AHF Congress Mungyeong 2023' on Friday.

Oman Hockey Association (OHA) Chairman Dr Marwan bin Juma al Juma and Zuhair al Ajmi, OHA board member, represented Oman in the congress.

To enhance the women leadership in Asia, AHF formulated the Women’s Advisory Panel. The Advisory Panel consists of the women leaders from all over Asia. The role of this advisory panel is to advise the AHF Executive Board on various affairs ensuring the equal participation by women. The advisory panel also has to contribute towards the enhancement of women participation in hockey. They will be encouraging the National Associations to ensure gender equality, also helping the Asian women face the challenges and paving the way for them to enhance their participation. The women’s advisory panel will primarily secure the interests of women in Asia Hockey and they will encourage women to participate in hockey.

The AHF Congress demonstrated in detail by various initiatives how they value their athletes. In 2022, the appointment of the AHF Athlete Ambassadors was initiated, furthering this initiative AHF appointed four more athlete ambassadors during this congress.

The AHF Athlete Ambassadors play a distinguished leadership role in international representation, development and advocacy of athletes. They promote awareness about athletes’ rights and athletes’ welfare. Out of these four newly appointed athlete ambassadors, two female athlete ambassadors were appointed to ensure gender balance. The athletes were presented with the cash prizes of 2k for senior athletes and 1k for junior athletes. Player of the year and emerging player of the year were also presented to the athletes. As a special honour by the AHF Vice-Presidents, the Hockey India Junior National Women’s Athlete Salima Tete was seated alongside the AHF Vice-Presidents on the head table while the AHF Congress was still in session. Sri Lankan men and women athletes won a prize of USD 10k to support their development and welfare.

Both men’s and women’s teams of India won the Best Achievement Award for their performances in various competitions held during 2021, 2022 and 2023. Best Achievement Award was presented to the Iran national men’s indoor hockey team upon winning a bronze in the recently held Indoor Hockey World Cup.

FIH President Dato Tayyab Ikram attended the AHF Congress 2023. He delivered his remarks at the beginning of the congress. He emphasised to primarily work on the athletes rights, athletes welfare, encourage athletes to raise their voice against issues, enhance athletes’ representation, empowerment of athletes and their involvement in the decision making in AHF.

Tayyab encouraged the NAs and AHF to work and find sustainable solutions, and to promote sustainability. He appealed AHF to go green and run a campaign through hockey, Hockey India responded immediately to the appeal of FIH president and announced to plant a 100k trees in India.

Tayyab appreciated the achievements of AHF in gender equality, he said that the real values of sports should be explored through hockey. We should promote peace through sports, we should make hockey more inclusive for the underprivileged and deserving. He congratulated AHF to have make their significant contribution in this cause. Tayyab encouraged the AHF leadership to continue this journey and keep on making strides to achieve more and more. He also advised AHF to develop synergy with other continents and promote global solidarity and enhance collaboration in every aspect.