Delhi to host Champions Trophy in December 2011

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Aroun Bharadwaaj

07 February, 2011

After having hosted successful edition of 2010 men's hockey World Cup Delhi is again laying up its carpets for an international hockey extravaganza Champions Trophy 2011 to be held from December 1st to 11th.

AFTER HAVING hosted successful edition of 2010 men’s hockey world Cup, Delhi is again laying the carpets for “Champions Trophy 2011 to be held from December 1st to 11th, 2011.

The Indian hockey team will be availing a direct entry to Champions Trophy being a host Country. The Champions Trophy will also be followed by a combined men's and women's Olympic qualifier in early 2012. Champions Trophy is FIH's most prestigious annual event (since 1980). Founded by Pakistan's Air Marshal Nur Khan, it features the world's top-ranked teams competing in a round robin format.

This is to be noted that India had failed to qualify for the last edition of the Champions Trophy in 2010, held in Monchengladbach, Germany. It will be a golden opportunity for the Indian boys to play hand on hand against the best hockey playing nations in the world. India has never won the Champions Trophy and the best performance was in 1982 where it stood at 3rd place. After that it stood at 4th place on 4 occasions.

The top contenders for the trophy will be the defending champion Australia, who have won the trophy eleven times. Germany has won the Trophy nine times and will give tough competition to the Aussies.

It is to be noted that Pakistan is the only Asian champion, with three titles to its name including the first two in 1978 and 1980 and 1994.

The FIH has continued discussions with the authorities in India on the launch of a new professional hockey league. It has also met the newly appointed sport minister Ajay Maken and discussed FIH's position regarding its recognition of Hockey India (HI) as the sole governing body for hockey in India.