Intl Hockey Federation needs to bring back grass hockey. (..

Continuing from my earlier post on the same topic, the following steps
needed to be taken
without delay by the International Hockey Federation, FIH (of course
with the active
clamouring of both the Indian and Pak Hockey federations and maybe
even the
Malaysian hockey federation and their huge fan base) to usher back
grass as a bonafide surface for
International field hockey.

The logic and the need for the revival grass as a field hockey surface
is simple: FAIR PLAY..

If Subcontinental hockey nations have to adjust their style of play
while playing on synthetic hockey turfs
(which are unsuited to their style of hockey and also their genetic
make up and physique), when playing the
European hockey powers including Australia, then it is only fair that
the Europeans also adjust to grass when
they are playing the South Asian teams in Asia. It is just plain fair
play. If we have to adjust to
the power and speed of the Eurpeans on astro, then let the Europeans
contend with our artistry, magic,
and flair when they are playing us on grass.

It is just plain unfair to expect Subcontinental Asia to consistently
play top notch hockey on surfaces
unsuitable to their natural style of play and genetic physical make-
up. It is akin to drawing
blood from stone. On synthetic surfaces, the most success that
subcontinental hockey will
achieve would be inconsistent and sporadic unlike the Germans, the
Dutch, and the Australians
who have solidly etched their homes on these fast unforgiving
surfaces.

Following are the steps that the FIH could adopt in this direction in
the name of Fair Play.

1> Bring back grass as a bonafide International hockey playing
surface while still retaining astroturf.

2> The choice of surface should automatically go to the host nation
for Field Hockey World Cup,
The Annual Champions Trophy, and other significant tourneys. To
make it fair alternate the
World Cup and the Champions trophy between Europe and Asia... The
surface choice of the host
however takes precedence over the alternation.

3> The Olympic hockey surface could then be determined by the team
that won the last World Cup
or once again the FIH could go for rotation with the hosts again
given the final choice regarding
the playing surface.

Advantages of bringing back grass are manifold:

a> The most important would be the revival of magical artistry so
typical of Subcontinental hockey.
Would bring back Subcontinental fans in droves and in turn
lucrative TV rights would follow.

b> Grass is also a body-knee friendly surface as soccer aptly
demonstrates. Those relatively
skinny subcontinental legs would definitely find the going a bit
easier so that they can
then concentrate on weaving their magic.

c> Cheaper to lay and maintain and would help FIH in its vision to
make inroads into poorer countries of
the third world and most importantly help FIH in its quest to
make field hockey a permanent
fixture in the Olympics, something that is in limbo now.

d> Would help countries like India to indentify real rural talent
from a Punjab, a Bihar, a Coorg etc etc.

e> Would also help the Europeans to develop artistic wizards of their
own...

f> Would usher in the vintage days of old style subcontinental field
hockey and bring lots of variety that is
sadly lacking in the game today on and over the the mindless
periodic tinkering of the playing rules
by the FIH in its vain attempts to bring excitement and flair
into the game.

TO CONCLUDE:

Once there was a beautiful game played on grass called field hockey
that gave rise to magical
stick wizards like Dhyan Chand.. In fact his display was so
mesmerizing in the Berlin Olympics,
that the Germans tested his stick to see whether there was any kind of
hidden magnet in it..
such was the way the ball stuck to his stick when he dribbled and like
the great Pele,
his field-vison was extra-ordinary.. Hitler even wanted the wizard to
join the Germans which the latter
of course politely declined.

But the FIH tinkering of the rules and introducing the Eurocentric
astroturf murdered this artistry. The
game has now become a ridiculous power game where the opponents try to
bludgeon each
other into submission by thundering in brutal penalty corner drives by
muscular bullies intent
on tearing the goal-net by their sledgehammer drives.

Lastly, there were more future Dhyan Chands in the making, who
unfortunately did not blossom to their
fullest on the astroturf. Two stalwarts come into mind: The Ayyo-
ayyo-amma Dhanraj Pillai
and the merecurial and brilliant leftie, a wizard of the dribble, that
outstanding ex-Indian
skipper, Mohd. Shahid. Now he was very well a left hand version of
Dhyan Chand in the
making but could not blossom fully on astro.

But for all this to happen the IHF and the PHF should actively
champion the issue and
even threaten boycott of international tourneys if the FIH does not
comply. Unfortunately
their own internal blood-letting and miasmic politics have shackled
their clout effectively
whenever they go on the international field hockey platform.

But the most important voices are those of us Subcontinental fans. It
is our national game
for goodness sake which the FIH has made a mockery of and who are now
hypocritically after us
for our big TV market money. So we need to stand up NOW and throw
this back at their faces.

BRING BACK GRASS and Play us on grass at least when in our backyard.
Just like how Spain, Argentina hold their home tennis Davis cup ties
on clay and how
Australia holds its Davis Cup ties on grass or other faster surfaces.

Shiva IYER
120807
www.sivaramhariharan.com