Doha: Qatar Hockey Federation (QHF) is organising two international indoor hockey tournaments simultaneously in association with Aspire Academy at the Aspire Dome next month for the first time in the Arab world.
The International Hockey Festival Tournament (IHFT) and the First Arab Nations Indoor Hockey Cup will be held from June 10 to 13, QHF Secretary General Mohamed Abdul Nazer told Qatar News Agency yesterday.
IHFT features three teams Air India Maharajahs, Knights of Arabia and Pakistan International Airlines Sultans. Former India captain and forward Dhanaraj Pillay is Air India Maharajahs’ coach and the team mentored by Arjuna Award winner Jagbir Singh.
The Indian team will challenge two-time Doha Festival Hockey Champions PIA- Sultans coached by Olympian Mohamed Irfaan and mentored by Shahbaz Ahmed.
The Knights of Arabia comprising local boys is coached by former Sri Lanka National coach Mohamed Mulafer and mentored by Qatar National Coach Maggid. “They are the dark horses of IHFT,” said Nazer.
QHF has plans to develop this festival tournament into an annual Global Festival with teams from Europe, America and Australia. This festival tournament is a pilot event to gauge popularity and feasibility of the event, he said.
Four teams - hosts Qatar, the Sultanate of Oman, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Sudan - will compete for top honours at the Arab Nations cup.
“This is the first time an Indoor League in being held in the Arab world and it is being viewed with interest by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) and the Arab Hockey Federation,” Nazer said.
“Qatar finished fourth in the Asian Indoor championship held recently at Kazakhstan. Along with Oman they are expected to dominate the event.”
QHF is also hosting the Qatar Youth Hockey Festival at Aspire today. Over a dozen Qatari schools are participating in the event, he said. The Aspire Zone indoor stadium has capacity to seat 1200 spectators. QHF is giving out complimentary tickets. Fans should call QHF office telephone 44141593 for reservations.
