Thierry Weil dropped a small bomb final November in his very first FIH congress that has gone unnoticed largely by hockey followers and -media. Talking concerning the enjoying floor Weil introduced principally two parts:
- He referred to as upon suppliers for turf, ball and footwear to work collectively in direction of the purpose of a dry synthetic turf by Paris 2024. The FIH desires no extra waterbased pitches by 2024 in occasions the place water is a scarce useful resource all over the world.
- Hockey might be performed on any floor! Right this moment elite hockey requires waterbased pitches. that necessities has been abolished, although for the main world occasions it would nonetheless be upheld.
Media and hockey followers heard solely the second comment and translated this into “hockey might be performed on pure grass once more”. Creating false hope amongst Pakistani and Indian hockeyfans eager for the nice ol’ days of their supremacy on grass all over the world.
The important thing of Weil’s message – in my view – was by no means a couple of return to pure grass however moderately hockey might be performed on any floor. Waterbased pitches usually are not the one and solely choice anymore for aggressive occasions. That is one thing we are able to all agree upon I feel. It’s frequent sense.
His first comment nevertheless is considerably extra controversial. No extra waterbased pitches by Paris 2024 for the elite occasions is a noble purpose, however possibly not a really life like purpose.
Let’s take heed to his phrases from this announcement throughout the FIH world congress in New Delhi, India from November 2018…
So following this message from the FIH CEO Thierry Weil, we determined to search for an business skilled to inform us extra on their new developments relating to infrastructure. Arnoud Fiolet from The Netherlands is an entrepreneur behind a number of hockey associated companies. He’ll clarify his firm Leisure Programs Worldwide has 6 divisions, all associated to sport and most additionally to hockey. Hearken to our podcast (kind of half-hour of your time) with Arnoud Fiolet with the hyperlink beneath… or learn on 😉
Synthetic turf was first launched throughout the Olympic Video games in Montreal in 1976, so over 40 years in the past already. In 1986 the FIH determined all main elite occasions had been to be performed on a waterbased pitch. However nonetheless as we speak nearly all of hockey video games all over the world are nonetheless being performed on grass, pure grass or a mud pitch that when was a grass pitch.
So why do elite gamers want the waterbased pitch?
- A moist floor will transfer the ball extra shortly on the floor.
- Excessive velocity expertise will result in extra 1v1 eliminations.
- A extra constant ball roll with much less sudden deviations permitting for extra expertise.
- It would permit for particular expertise such because the drag flick.
- It permits for gamers making a sliding with out accidents.
- Constant play throughout dry warmth or wet climate.
- Higher shock absorption resulting in much less accidents.
- Decrease floor temperatures in sizzling climates for a extra snug enjoying expertise.
What are some the FIH necessities for the floor of the long run?
- Related efficiency to present waterbased pitches all all over the world.
- Related enjoying situations in a sizzling and dry local weather to moist wet climate.
- No further danger for accidents.
- Recycling prospects with much less influence on the atmosphere.
However most all what’s vital to the FIH is the necessity to develop the game globally with the intention to keep away from a brand new scare of being faraway from the Olympics as we needed to endure in 2013 after the London Video games. Hockey wants it’s Olympic standing!
As Weil professed the FIH wish to play in Paris on the Video games from 2024 on a dry floor. However to ensure that our sport to stay Olympic in 2028 when the Video games might be held in LA, a area on this planet troubled by extreme water points ánd a area the place our sport isn’t well-known it appears to be crucial to have an answer by 2028.
Two different causes for questioning waterbased turf would the additional value wanted to construct these installations and extra points relating to upkeep. Further prices in comparison with turf with none water (that means our present sandy synthetic grass fields) would on common be between €50.000 and €100.000. Annual upkeep efforts would even be extra complicated due for instance to the well-known algae issues in these moist environments…
Options anybody?
It’s not well-known, however the FIH requested the identical query to take away water from the equation to turf suppliers earlier already. In 2004 the FIH requested to provide you with an answer by the 2012 Video games in London.
Nevertheless the FIH request was ignored by the business again then. Primarily as a result of most of their focus went to soccer as a result of their want for synthetic turf was rising very quick in these days. Right this moment the expansion within the extra vital soccer market has stabilised and can shift in direction of hybrid options anyway. However we must be life like, our sport as we speak is a distinct segment sport for the business nonetheless. Why would they spend so much in analysis to develop a waterfree answer with nonetheless all these particular traits solely hockey is asking for? No different sport as we speak has this downside of utilizing an excessive amount of water on their turf, so there isn’t a one round to share the burden.
FIH is concerned in a worldwide undertaking for a so referred to as “one turf idea”, along with soccer and rugby. A multi-purpose answer match for all sports activities. However let’s not child ourselves, this answer might be primarily for soccer and rugby and fewer fitted to the quick paced recreation of hockey. It would permit for a slower model of hockey however can’t assure the present quick recreation of hockey. As a result of that’s the essential downside. Turf manufactures and all concerned must reconcile our very particular calls for relating to each grip and sliding. If hockey could be keen to decelerate our recreation to the velocity of soccer much more is likely to be potential however then we might be betraying our recreation the place velocity and expertise are what makes our sport distinctive.
So what now… is our name for a dry turf, appropriate for hockey, destined to fail? Most likely… however what is feasible is to cut back the necessity for water considerably!
Eliminating water appears inconceivable, however much less water may very well be the best way to go.
Present turfs use as much as 18.000 liters of water per recreation per pitch. Which is a gigantic quantity and can’t be accepted all through many of the world. However new turf options as we speak have managed to cut back the quantity of water wanted drastically already to kind of 6 to 7.000 liters/recreation/pitch. It isn’t inconceivable to go even additional and scale back the necessity for water to 2 or 3.000 liters/recreation/pitch on common which might nonetheless be an issue for plenty of locations all over the world however that is no less than a step in the precise route.
So sure, it’s OK to dream of a dry turf sooner or later for our recreation of hockey with out giving in on specs that make our sport distinctive (velocity) however for now let’s get actual and concentrate on lowering the water wanted drastically as an alternative of dreaming of the “inconceivable”…
The actual and solely vital change is the choice to permit any floor for aggressive occasions in hockey. Although clearly the primary occasions globally ought to nonetheless be performed constantly on the identical floor… and for now this stays a waterbased pitch. The most important benefit is for these international locations or areas on this planet with difficulties to supply sufficient infrastructure as much as worldwide requirements. They’ll now select to play their occasions, nationwide and worldwide, on any floor. Synthetic turf, pure grass, panel techniques, sand, concrete, hardcourt, gravel,… indoor or outside, no matter is offered. The message is: hockey must be performed anyplace anytime. It will assist develop the sport of hockey!
Particular because of Arnoud Fiolet from Leisure Programs Worldwide to share his experience with us on these issues. Make sure to try a few of his different options to assist develop the sport of hockey, equivalent to air domes, sports activities panels, talent parks, and so on…
