Hockey India restructures domestic competitions, including senior national championships, to maximise participation starting 2021
FirstpostThe national championships will have a new format from next year as the Hockey India has decided to restructure its domestic competitions with an aim to maximise athlete participation and develop the game in states, union territories, institutional units and academies. New Delhi: The national championships will have a new format from next year as the Hockey India has decided to restructure its domestic competitions with an aim to maximise athlete participation and develop the game in states, union territories, institutional units and academies. The events which will be restructured are sub-junior, junior and senior national championships for both men and women of HI’s registered state member units, Public Sector Units/Departmental Units and academy member units respectively. “As part of the qualification process for the state member units to participate in the Hockey India National Championships, it will be mandatory for each state member to conduct their state level championships in each category prior to the annual National Championships.” HI president Mohammad Mushtaque Ahmad said the previous system of hosting the national championships in A and B division for various age-groups will no longer exist. “All PSUs and departmental units will come under a separate category and compete among each other in junior and senior Category and a third category that is exclusively for academy member units will compete in the sub-junior and junior National Championships.” Ahmad said the purpose of the restructuring is to encourage more states, union territories, institutional units and academy members to pursue hockey and develop players from their regions.