hero motocorp and fih come together to kickstart the olympic qualifying Hockey event in india
New Delhi, February 15,
2012: Hero MotoCorp Ltd. (HMCL) – the world’s largest
two-wheeler manufacturer - and the International Federation of Hockey (FIH)
came together today to launch the ‘HERO FIH ROAD TO LONDON’ Olympic Qualifying
Hockey Event.
The
tournament will be held from February 18 to 26 at the Major Dhyanchand Hockey
National Stadium in New Delhi. The 12 participating nations will be vying for
two coveted Olympic berths, one for the men’s event and one for the women’s.
The remaining teams will play placement games for FIH World Ranking points.
Speaking on the
occasion, Mr. Pawan
Munjal, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Hero MotoCorp. Ltd.
said,
“It is indeed a privilege to carry forward our association with FIH and hockey,
our national sport. The ‘FIH Road to London 2012’ is a prestigious event as it
has been accorded qualifying status for the Olympics scheduled for July later
this year. Our association with the event is in keeping with our long-term
commitment to promote hockey in the country and revive its popularity. Our best
wishes are with all participating countries, particularly with the Indian men’s
and women’s teams, who we will be cheering for. I look forward to witness some
world-class hockey in the coming days.”
With Hero MotoCorp coming
on board as the Title Sponsor, the event taking place in India, will provide
further impetus for the sub-continent to regain its importance in world hockey..
Also
present on the occasion, Mr. Kelly Fairweather,
CEO of FIH, said, “We are here today to officially launch
the Olympic qualifying tournament here in India. We have received overwhelming
support from Hero MotoCorp and are grateful for their continued support to
hockey, and for their efforts towards making this initiative a truly world
class event. Since only one team in each of the men’s and women’s groups which
will secure a berth at the Olympics, it will be a fiercely competitive field
making for some memorable hockey for all of us to look forward to.”
The
round-robin matches of the tournament will feature men’s national field hockey
teams from India, Italy, Poland, Singapore, Canada and France. The women’s
national teams will include India, South Africa, Canada, Italy, Poland and
Ukraine. Teams placed one & two at the end of the group stage will compete
in the Finals to be played on February 25th for the women, and
February 26th for the Men.
Secretary General of
Hockey India, Mr. Narendra Batra added, “It is a matter
of immense pride for us to work with FIH on another global hockey event being
hosted by India. We are also grateful to Hero MotoCorp for the ongoing support
to the national sport across all levels to develop interest and infrastructure
for hockey in India. This tournament is a good opportunity for the Indian men’s
and women’s teams to compete with international teams and gun for a spot at the
coveted Olympic Games. I would like to extend a warm welcome to all the teams
visiting from across the world and assure them our best efforts to provide an
exemplary tournament experience.”
Hero
FIH Road to London will be aired on Ten Sports and can be viewed by hockey fans
LIVE in India and across 80 countries globally.
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