The President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), Suresh Kalmadi has said that the soon-to-be-held Asian junior men’s hockey championships at Hyderabad from this year’s July 11 to July 18 will be the very first international event following the fresh interest generated for this game in India. At the moment, 32 players are being given training at the Gachibowli located on the suburb of Hyderabad. From these 32 players will emerge a competent Indian team for the 2010 World Cup which will be held in Delhi before the Commonwealth Games.

Mr Kalmadi, the IOA President, further mentioned that both Els Van Dreda Vriesman, the President of FIH as well as Peter Cohen, the FIH Secretary General will be present during Hyderabad Asian junior men’s hockey championships, which will be a week-long event. The IOA President thereafter thanked MS Gill, the Union Sports Minister for reinstating the priority status and prestige into the game of hockey. He also said that he hoped the services of Ric Charlesworth and Bob Davidson will put the sport on the correct track again.