ISLAMABAD:International Hockey Federation (FIH) President Dr Narinder Dhruv Batra was looking forward to seeing all teams in action at the stunning Oi Hockey Stadium at the Tokyo Olympics saying the state-of-the-art stadium would provide a lasting legacy for Japanese Hockey over the coming decades.
“Following a delay of one year due to the unprecedented times of pandemic that we are currently living through, I can put my hand on my heart and tell you how genuinely overjoyed I am that the Games of the XXXIInd Olympiad are finally here,” he said in a statement issued here.
“The chance to celebrate the world’s finest athletes on the world’s greatest global sporting stage is a hugely positive thing for all of us.
“The organisers of Tokyo 2020, along with great support from the Japanese government, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and International Federations such as our own, have gone to extraordinary lengths to ensure that the Games can be staged as safely as possible.
“I personally want to thank them for their incredible efforts towards this cause, ensuring that the greatest sporting show on earth can finally take place.
He said with the ultimate prize of an Olympic gold medal on the line, the Olympics have a unique place within the global hockey calendar. “The FIH is extremely proud to be part of the Olympic family, with Hockey enjoying a long and glorious history at the Olympic Games.
“Hockey made its debut at the 1908 Games in London and has been a permanent fixture in the Olympics since the 1928 Games in Amsterdam, with a women’s competition being a central part of proceedings since the Moscow 1980 Games.
“Our association with the Olympic movement has allowed thousands of athletes to fulfil the life-long dream of representing their country at the greatest sporting spectacle on the planet.
He said the Olympics has always been considered as the pinnacle of the sport, and long may that continue. “I invite all hockey fans around the world to follow very closely this year’s hockey Olympic events.
“Finally, I want to wish all of the athletes and officials the best of luck on the field – you all deserve to be here and will no doubt put on an incredible showcase of our sport for the world to enjoy. Thank you for everything you do for hockey,” he said.