FIH in talks with sponsors for hockey league in India: Negre

International Hockey Federation on made it clear that such a tournament will be held only through its affiliated association.

Ipoh: International Hockey Federation on Friday said that it was in talks with sponsors to start a top-class league in India but made it clear that such a tournament will be held only through its affiliated association.

FIH chief Leandro Negre said that four groups have approached it for a hockey league in India and the world body is looking into the financial aspect of such a tournament with a couple of them. "FIH is assessing the situation in India, four different groups have approached us for a hockey league. We are assessing them all and discussing the financial situation with a couple of them," he said here. "Any league can only be organized under the FIH purview and through our affiliated association in India. The FIH alone will give the approval for the players and the league will bring a lot of money for the players," said Negre who is here in connection with the Azlan Shah hockey tournament. Negre said it was not true that FIH was only interested in getting money from India. "I have read some criticism that the FIH is in India to make money, but I need to emphasize that this is not true. We are there to take profits out of India and are treating India just as another nation," he said. "We had a very successful World Cup and have had an (informal) agreement with Hero Honda (mobike manufacturer) that it will sponsor all FIH events in years to come," he added.The FIH had said that it will not give sanction to the World Hockey Series which was proposed to be held under the aegis of Indian Hockey Federation which is yet to get recognition from the world body. FIH had warned that it would ban players who take part in the WSH. PTI