New Delhi: Protesting the ban on coverage of training and practice matches in the hockey World Cup, sports journalists walked out of an FIH event to announce a sponsorship partner.
As soon as FIH media officer Arjen Meijer rose to speak, all the journalists present at the press conference to announce Karbonn Mobiles as one of the FIH partners in the World Cup starting on Sunday left the venue.
The journalists did not allow Meijer to speak and bombarded him with questions on why they were being barred from covering the training sessions and practice matches. After that the mediapersons walked out of the venue.
Confusion prevailed on the coverage of the build-up to the mega event with FIH yesterday saying that it would not allow the scribes' entry into the Major Dhyan Chand Stadium till Saturday.
Hockey India, however, issued a statement later yesterday, saying that after a meeting of the World Cup coordination commission, the media will be allowed from tomorrow.
Mediapersons have been barred from entering the stadium since the first week of this month on the pretext of security after the Indian team shifted its base from Pune.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, February 24, 2010, 14:36