Guwahati: A grand celebration event will be conducted in Cuttack before the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2023, which will take place in Odisha.
Bhubaneswar and Rourkela will host the premier Hockey competition from January 13 to January 29.
India will be hoping to do better this time because they lost to the Netherlands in the tournament’s 2018 edition, which led to their elimination from the semifinals.
R Vineel Krishna, the Secretary of Sports and Youth Services in the Odisha government told ANI, “We are having a grand celebration event at Barabati Stadium in Cuttack on January 11. Taking this opportunity, we are inviting also all Hockey experts, former Hockey players, state & national association members as well for a National Hockey Conclave in Konark, which will be a brainstorming session on how to take forward the momentum that the sport currently has.”
He revealed that the tournament’s preparations are nearly complete and that final touches are being applied. Additionally, he mentioned how eager Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is to include the community, particularly the children, in the competition.
“This has been planned in a much more engaging manner this time, in terms of involving everybody across the state and country. CM sent reps from the cabinet to different CMs and invited them personally. He also wants to involve students. A lot of competitions are being held for students, a trophy tour was done. Hosting the tournament in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela is challenging but everything is in place. Over the next few weeks, cultural, entertainment and sports events will be held. It is going to be a very memorable World Cup,” he added.
Hockey India president Dilip Trikey added that the state government had been involved in all preparations.
“For this World Cup, Hockey India in collaboration with Odisha Government has done all the preparations. This time we have Rourkela as a new venue which is the world’s largest stadium having a seating capacity of 20,000,” said Tirkey to ANI.
“Teams have reached to participate in the tournament. Practice sessions have started. All the teams will play at the venue, Bhubaneswar and Rourkela so chartered flights have been arranged for their transportation during the tournament. The preparation has been really great,” said Dilip Tirkey, President, Hockey India.