The International Field Hockey Federation seeks to expand its horizons. Therefore, May was a month of movement for its president, Tayyab Ikram, who visited New Zealand, Fiji and the Solomon Islands, with the intention of talking about the development of his sport. In addition, it met with all the federations of Oceania in a new General Assembly of that continent.

The first stop was in Auckland, New Zealand, where he met with authorities from both hockey and the country’s Olympic Committee. At the meeting, several topics were discussed regarding the development of sports, discussing how they can work together at a regional and international level. In addition, Ikram visited the North Harbor Hockey Centre, where he watched a game featuring young New Zealand prospects.

The second stop, as published by the International Federation, was in Fiji to attend the General Assembly of Oceania. There the FIH president spoke about strategic guidelines regarding how national associations can better lead within their countries, but in line with international guidelines.

Finally, President Ikram visited the Solomon Islands, where he met Prime Minister and former hockey player Jeremiah Manele. At the event, the FIH pledged its support and collaboration to develop the sport in the country.

“I was really delighted to have one-on-one meetings with all the Pacific Island National Associations to understand their needs and development plans. It was fantastic to see the potential for growth in all of them. I presented to them, in more detail, the Empowerment Strategy and Commitment from the FIH, especially the parts most relevant to them. It was not just about sharing best practices, but I also learned a lot from these discussions. A really fruitful couple of days!“, highlighted Tayyab Ikram after his visit to Oceania. seeking the development of field hockey.