KUALA LUMPUR — The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has given Malaysia the thumbs up for the successful organisation of the ongoing men’s Junior World Cup (JWC) at the Bukit Jalil National Hockey Stadium.
FIH president Datuk Tayyab Ikram said all the teams participating in the under-21 World Cup are happy with the Malaysian Hockey Confederation’s (MHC) hosting of the tournament from December 5-16, including the free-to-air broadcast of the matches.
However, he noted that, like other big cities, pulling spectators to the stadium remains a challenge, especially when the host nation is knocked out early, adding that this issue needs to be tackled by both the FIH and MHC in future events, as most of the matches have been played with very few spectators since last week.
“From the participating teams’ point of view, they are very happy. There has been great hospitality in Malaysia, hardly any complaints about transportation despite being a busy city, and the accommodation provided meets international standards.
“So, we are very happy, and we would like to come back to Malaysia,” said Tayyab.
He said the spectator area, however, requires careful consideration, emphasising the need for collaborative discussions with MHC to explore various models.
“It is a global situation; it is not every day can we get maximum spectators and a crowd.
“Probably next time we need to try spreading these kinds of events to different, smaller areas, and then bring the finals to a big city,” he said today.
Earlier, Tayyab, the former Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) president, witnessed the partnership renewal signing ceremony between AirAsia Brand Co, represented by its chief executive officer Rudy Khaw and AHF president Datuk Fumio Ogura for another four years.
Asked about the hosting fee imposed by the FIH, which can burden the host country and federation, Tayyab said it is required to ensure the proper organisation of the tournaments, generate revenue to meet expenses and maintain high-quality broadcast production.
He said in larger events such as the senior World Cup, FIH is shifting away from hosting fees and transitioning towards corporate partnerships.
“However, the issue of hosting fees may not arise if national federations work closely with their commercial partners.
“Nevertheless, the post-pandemic period will pose a challenge for many countries, including Malaysia,” Tayyab said.
It was reported that MHC paid RM1.6 million to FIH in hosting fees for the ongoing JWC.
Tayyab also said that FIH was growing, with 144 members now after the inclusion of Kyrgyzstan, while nine other countries, Bahrain, Laos, Jordan, Iraq and Kuwait among others, are playing hockey but are yet to be formal members of FIH.
Meanwhile, Rudy said the main objective of renewing the partnership with AHF that started in 2019 was to focus on the development of the sport.
He said it also acts as a dream enabler to provide a platform for young athletes from all levels to explore opportunities, empowering them to excel in sports, achieve their goals, and blossom as both leaders and role models in their communities.
Through the partnership, AirAsia and AHF will jointly execute AHF-AirAsia Youth Development Projects within the ASEAN region.
These projects will encompass youth development activities, youth competitions, hockey education courses, and workshops alongside equipment distribution to support young athletes.
Besides this, AHF will also introduce the AirAsia Youth Leadership Award, presented at the AirAsia Youth Leadership Forum, to recognise players under 18 for their exceptional hockey skills, as well as their capacity to inspire, lead and make meaningful contributions to their communities. — December 15, 2023