On the 12th January 2011, a press conference designed to draw attention to the Men’s and Women’s FIH Indoor World Cup - which will be played in Poznan between the 8th and 13th of February 2011 - took place at the Warsaw Olympic Centre.
The event will be the only sporting World Championship to be held in Poland during 2011, a year which marks the 85th anniversary of the formation of the Polish Hockey Association (PHA).
“The decision that the FIH Indoor World Cup will be organized by the Polish Hockey Association in the year of its 85th anniversary is a great commendation”, said Andrzej Grzelak, President of the PHA. “It will be the biggest event in history of Polish hockey, which has been established for over 100 years. There has never been a competition with 12 women’s national teams and 12 men’s teams participating in Poland before this one.”
During the Press Conference the media were reminded of the impressive results achieved by Polish national teams and clubs in international competitions. The Polish men’s national men’s team were runners up on two occasions, finishing behind Germany both in Leipzig (2003) and Vienna (2007). Poland men were also runners up in European Indoor competition, finishing in second in 1999 and 2006. It was during the 2006 event in Eindhoven that Poland made history by becoming the first team to ever defeat the men of Germany. The Poland junior national team became European Champions on two occasions, claiming the title in 1996 and 2009 twice. As well as this, famous Polish hockey club Pocztowiec Poznań have been crowned as the club champions of Europe twice (2003 / 2007).
The FIH Indoor World Cup 2011 is being strongly supported by Poznań’s City Hall. Dr Ewa Bąk, Sports Department Director at City Hall, commented that there had been numerous major sporting events in Poznań down the years, including three Canoeing World Championships (1990 / 2001 / 2010) as well as the 2009 Rowing World Championship. All of these events were organized with the cooperation of Poznan City Hall, and were very successful. Other triumphant international competitions held in Poznań include horse riding, basketball, athletics, football, handball, volleyball, fencing and tennis. “I am convinced that similar situation will be with the FIH Indoor World Cup”, said Dr Bak. “We have already had many signs from Western Europe and the USA who are very interested in this World Cup, as well as from various regions in Poland”.
Polish national team coaches Krzysztof Rachwalski (women) and Karol Śnieżek (Men) promised that their teams will be fighting to win every match, while Poland men’s team captain Dariusz Rachwalski commented on his delight that the World Cup will be held in his own country. “I am sure that this event in Poznań will be a great promotion for hockey and Polish sport”.
