HSB / Bhubaneswar
Hockey India on Wednesday named Bhubaneswar and Rourkela as the venues for the 2023 FIH World Cup. The announcement was made by Chief Minister of Odisha Naveen Patnaik at a spectacular event held here to mark the one-year anniversary since the commencement of the isha World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018.
Odisha has always been the cradle of hockey, and with the successful organising of the 2018 World Cup, we showcased a very different side of our state. We have always had a very passionate crowd which supports the sport of hockey, and with the presence of world-class, top-of-the-line facilities in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela, it swells my heart with great pride that Odisha will once again be celebrating the festival of hockey when we host the FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup in January 2023.”The chief minister said as he also announced that all 17 blocks of Sundargarh district would be equipped with synthetic pitches,
Speaking on the occasion FIH President Narinder Batra said: “On behalf of FIH, I would like to extend our sincerest thanks to the Government of Odisha and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in particular for their great and permanent support to hockey over the years. This really is remarkable and contributes to grow our sport not only in India but in the world also. Our thanks also go to Hockey India for their dedication and efforts to put together an unforgettable event.”
“The precision in which the last World cup was conducted, and the grandeur of the marquee event drew several accolades from the hockey fraternity worldwide. The unparalleled support by Government of Odisha towards the development of hockey, their vision to provide state-of-the-art infrastructure like none other in the world, and the government’s willingness to invest in the event were some of the key reasons to name the State as the venue for the prestigious event in 2023. ” he said.
Thierry Weil, CEO, FIH resonated Dr Batra’s views and stated: “We are glad to come back to Odisha where everyone, from the fans to the teams and the officials, had such a great experience a year ago. Conscious of the costs generated by the organization of such world events, we think that using existing facilities – especially when they are of the quality of those provided in Bhubaneswar – is a real advantage. Also, the income-generation potential of the bid submitted by Hockey India will contribute to the development of hockey worldwide, which is the first mission of the International Hockey Federation. Furthermore, we will work closely with Hockey India on the sustainability and legacy aspects of the 2023 FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup.”