Since my early childhood, I’ve been passionate about hockey and I feel privileged to be born in a country which is so excited about this sport, as the recent Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 quite clearly showed.
But my sentiments for this fabulous sport would mean very little if I were to keep them to myself. My strongest wish is that this passion which has brought so much to my life is shared by millions of others who have not yet had the chance to live the “hockey experience”.
As President of the FIH, it is my commitment to explore all possible avenues to grow hockey’s popularity and participation worldwide. One of those is to establish a regular flagship event involving the crème de la crème of world hockey in front of home crowds. By doing so, we will enable fans to see the very best that this sport has to offer on their own doorstep, allowing teams to engage with their fans on a quasi-permanent basis. The good news is that this event is now here and very much ready to take off. The event is the FIH Pro League.
I’m convinced that, by sharing their experiences with their families and friends, hockey fans will introduce a whole new generation of enthusiasts to the game, increasing hockey’s visibility to the level that our great sport so clearly deserves.
By opting for the same competition format for women and men, FIH has shown once more how the principle of gender equality lies at the very core of our values.
The FIH Pro League will not only benefit the participating teams. Thanks to the increase of popularity which it shall bring, it’s the worldwide hockey community in its entirety which shall benefit.
I wish all teams, umpires, officials and fans – both current and those yet-to-come - to welcome and enjoy our new-born child. Be ready for truly unforgettable moments!
Pro League. Pro Hockey.
