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Pakistan: Brig Musarrat pulls apart FIH new rules  x14
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June 10, 2003 
The News International
> Page Views 4997
LAHORE: Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) secretary Brig. Musarratullah Khan has struck rapping note over new rules of the International Hockey Federation.
"The rules brought down the hockey graph in 92 percent with benefiting only eight percent countries of hockey playing world," he stated this on Tuesday.
He said Pakistan put up the said issue in the FIH Council about the going on in-discrimination between the economically sound and other countries.
"In Asia out of 28 hockey playing countries only three countries including Japan, Malaysia and Korea can afford to lay down artificial turf's, India and Pakistan having population of more than 100 million can not provide the same hockey playing conditions to its players which are provided by Holland and other European countries due to their economical structure," he added.
PHF secretary said when the hockey was played on natural grass Pakistan had 2,00,000 registered players which had now reduced to only 28,000 due to non availability of artificial grounds.
"Pakistani hockey players have only 7-8 artificial turf's to play on it whereas 450 artificial turf's are in Holland only that is why they have more than 2.5 million registered players, even many hockey clubs have more than one own grounds with flood lights in Holland which is not even thought about in Pakistan," he added.
When the hockey was played on natural grass it was cheap but now it has become costly and is beyond players buying capacity.
To a question, he said a proposal was submitted to the Government and Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) to give the permission to industrialists to install the Industry producing artificial stuff for grounds which are been used in other games as well now a days but there is no answer yet.
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Comments on this article
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SSP
06-11-2003 7:54 am
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It took this guy 25 years to come up with this?
It has been obvious that astro pitches have benefitted the richer countries enormously. It has made tackling much easier than on grass (negating Pakistan and India's dribbling abilities), PC conversions are much higher and rewards fitness.
What are the alternatives? I don't see FIH reverting back to grass pitches.
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Pynchon
06-11-2003 10:49 am
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Likes Grass
Tennis has major championships which are played on clay (French and Italian), grass (Wimbledon), and hard surfaces (Australian and US Open). Different players do better on certain surfaces. It doesn't seem to be rocket science to come up with a World Grass Field Championship Tournament. I know those countries which play on artificial pitch would still attempt to give the grass title a shot. I also believe that the best team is going to win on either surface.
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Doc
06-11-2003 11:25 am
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Pynchon
The skills needed for the modern game are mostly based on an astro playing surface. The grass game has (by and large) been forgotten by a generation of modern hockey players. To change the international standard to include grass at this point seems like a mistake. While I would agree that you need very good skills to play on grass, I believe you lose the precision and speed of the modern game. Probably a moot point anyway as FIH is unlikely to change.
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Mitchell
06-11-2003 6:46 pm
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New thinking needed....
It is true the introduction of Astroturf has been the deathknell for hockey in the subcontinent.......but that has not been the only reason. How financially viable has the governments of India & Pakistan made it for players to take to hockey, as opposed to cricket where there are millions of dollars being poured into ? Even soccer, in India, is attracting more sponsorships than hockey is....I believe it's all about the management and marketing of the game. Get the crowds back in to the grounds and stadiums, and the private sector will follow, bring with them their financial muscle. The private sector has the financial resources that the government lacks and should be tapped into.
It's alright to blame others, but we really have to look within and set our house in order before crying 'foul' everytime there are changes.
Maybe it's time to scrap the present tournament formats and make it more attractive, more pleasing and more competitive. It's time to get more professional about hockey in India.
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kiasu-kiasi
06-12-2003 4:37 am
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It is true that the introduction of astroturf has brought about the supremacy of the Europeans in world hockey. But if Asians esp the Indians & Paks are still struggling after 27 years, they have start to take a good, hard look at themselves. Undoutedly, there are tremendous pools of talents coming through the ranks largely due to the huge population in India & Pakistan but the inefficiency and incompetency on the respective federations are killing the sport. These bungling and self-serving officials (like the one who initiated this debate) are not sincere in wanting to promote and popularise the sport. Or else how can you explain the reverse fortune of a team that has just beaten the world champion to win the Azlan Shah Cup to perform miserably hardly 3 months later. The stupidity of this statement probably has the folks at the FIH laughing no doubt. Understandably, they are not going to do a favour by reverting back to grass. Or would they?
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MUHAMMAD AKHTAR from CANADA
06-12-2003 4:23 pm
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FACTS & TRUTH
Brig. Musarrat is not facing the truth. Now the standard of Hockey in Pakistan so low even on grass or mud Pak. can not beat the European. Musarrat you are right there are no much artificial trufs in Pakistan. Can you tell me how many grass grounds are available to play hockey ( very few in numbers). On the available grass grounds how many young players come to play (not even enough).
Have you ever think that majority of Pakistani primary & secondary students are attending those schools which do not have a open area, Ground is a task of far distance. How you can expect then in future to find Players, Good Hockey players is a task of far distance. In Europe weather does not allow to play on grass throughout the year that is why Astro trufs are mendatory for a healthy nation.
You are right about Holland. Have copare the Population of Netherland with Pak. & India. Subcontinent has lot of more chance to get good players due to number of young peoples.
Please look in your neck. Do we have proper Ground facilities, Health care, Balanced diet & Nutrition, Education, Equal opportunity for all, Fair selection, Incentive for hockey, Media coverage for Hockey, Structure for hockey, Enough Tournaments, Hockey professional's involvement in hockey matters, Fair Election in the Hockey Associations from bottom to top and much much more..............
The answer is NO. NOT AT ALL
Then kindly do not blame to others. Please accept the facts & truth. Try to eradicate the real hurdels in hockey. You people ( management & Hockey Bosses) have ruined the Field Hockey in Pakistan & India.
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Shahid
06-18-2003 1:34 pm
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why not variety
@SSP:
>It took this guy 25 years to come up with this?
That is not true. It is REALY _not_ the first time that this matter has been brought up by Indian and Pakistan.
While I do see some points in Mr. Aktarīs posting but I can not resist to admit it would be a great fun to see hockey on different kinds of surfaces (as suggested by Pynchon).
I donīt know about canada but in Europe in summer weather is mostly so warm that you can play hockey without any problem. In winter, Germany and a lot of other European nations play indoor hockey, even holland took part in the last indoor WC.
Playing on different surfaces would give the game only variety and flavor. Maybe countries supporting this suggestion should simply start playing such tournaments with other same-minded nations without regard of non-interested people.
If there is enough money and presitige to win all teams will surely follow the invitation to these tournaments sooner or later.
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Al Mattei
06-18-2003 1:58 pm
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If there was a world championship for grass ...
... the women of the United States would do pretty well, since we have grass pitches almost exclusively at the grass roots level; of the 1730 or so school teams, only about two dozen play on turf.
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Tony onyango
06-20-2003 3:42 am
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hockey pitches
In kenya we have only one astroturf which is far inadequate for a nation with many hockey players at the rural level. I fully agree that poor management and inefficiency by those responsible for running the hockey associations.Corruption by management has scared off would be investors or sponsor. am of the view that countries like the east africa states requires to be allowed to play both in the turf,where available and in the grass pitch.Those nation like Holland should come forward and donate one or two astroturf to poor developing countries.
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SSP
06-22-2003 2:38 pm
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There is no way Kenya, Uganda etc.. can compete with the likes of Holland & Germany. There is only 1 pitch in Kenya as Tony Onyango mentions. In the late 60s & early 70s, hockey was thriving in Kenya, with many schools with murram/ grass pitches and the national team was excellent. Kenya was competitive against Holland, Germany, Pakistan & India. I remember watching some great games at the City Stadium which had a murram pitch then.
Thanks to FIHs policies hockey has declined in the majority of countries. Woeful administration is also to blame in the sub-continent & Kenya.
The Brigadier is absolutely right in his comments, but what the hell were these guys doing when these rules were being implemented. He is complaining now because Pakistan is not producing the great teams of the past & have come down to the level of India. It boils down to incompetent administrators who are unable to see the future.
I cannot see grass hockey being re-introduced. Holland, Germany etc. will not donate pitches to other countries.. very sad but this is the reality.
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affshan
06-25-2003 3:23 am
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I m agree to Mr. Muhammad Akhtar's Comments sab say phalay aap apni associations ko durust karay aap ki apni federation PHF nay jo election karway hai wo sab Jali hai apni Pasand kay log jinka hockey say koe taluq nahi hai jo log hockey ko run kartay hai wo sab association say bahar hai
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Michiel Blaauw
08-14-2003 2:49 am
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2.5 mio registered players in Holland???? I wish it were true: it's about 1/17 of that.
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SSB
02-16-2004 8:51 am
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Pitch
India and Pakistan need to realise that this is the time to invest. Other countries are at the top of the leagues because they were visionaries for the sport. Wake up both nations..STOP CLAIMING TO BE POOR..because you aren't. Spend the money wisey and accordingly so that your teams compete well on the international level. So far so good but start today!!! FIH keep up the good work
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Danielle
05-04-2005 7:02 pm
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Astroturf
Can anyone tell me where i can find some decent information of Astroturf???
Please e-mail me: black_rainbow_33@hotmail.com
Thanks!
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