The tyre manufacturer has agreed to back what is being termed as the biggest hockey event in the world. The inaugural WSH will be held from February 29 to April 2 and will involve 200 leading Indian and international players. The eight venues for the inaugural edition of the league are Bengaluru, Bhopal, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi, Jalandhar, Mumbai and Pune.
The WSH has been a controversial addition to the world hockey calendar and had been scheduled to commence in December before organisers moved it back to this month. A joint initiative between the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) and Asian media giant Nimbus Sport, WSH was conceived with the objective of reinvigorating the sport of hockey in India and making hockey the “sport of choice” for young Indians. With a total prize purse of approximately US$2 million, the World Series has been designed as an annual event with a multi city franchise-based model.
However, the tournament is not sanctioned by the International Hockey Federation (FIH). The global governing body, which recognises Hockey India as the sole administration for hockey in India, has already warned of suspensions to players who will participate in the Series.
