11 Apr, 2025 After a memorable debut last year as part of the FIH Centenary celebrations, the International Hockey Day is back — and this time, it’s even bigger! Mark your calendars for 12 and 13 April 2025 as the global hockey family comes together once again to honour our sport, our community, and over 100 years of hockey history. Whether you’re a player, coach, volunteer, fan, or simply someone who loves the game, this is your moment to shine. Join hands with hockey lovers from all corners of the world and make this celebration a true reflection of our passion and unity. Message from FIH President Tayyab Ikram “International Hockey Day is a celebration of what makes our sport so special — the community. It’s not just about the game itself, but about the people who breathe life into it every single day: the young child picking up a stick for the first time, the volunteers who dedicate countless hours, the athletes who inspire millions, and the fans whose passion is unmatched. This day is for everyone who loves hockey — regardless of where you live, how you play, or what role you have in our ecosystem. It’s a reminder of our shared values, our unity, and our unstoppable spirit. Let us use this occasion to show the world the joy, diversity, and strength of the global hockey family. “Together, let’s make #InternationalHockeyDay throb with life and passion as we celebrate a Centenary year that has produced tremendous new heights for FIH and hockey.” Here’s how National Associations, clubs and the larger hockey community is taking part in the celebrations: (📸: Thai Hockey Association celebrates the International Hockey Day) There are countless ways to celebrate #InternationalHockeyDay — and they’re all about creativity, joy, and togetherness: Creating FIH-themed T-shirts and wearing them during matches, training sessions, or local meetups — especially with young players! Printing the FIH logo, gathering friends or teammates, and taking group photos showcasing hockey pride. Forming the number “100” on hockey pitches using sticks, balls, or players — and capturing it from above for an unforgettable tribute to the sport’s Centenary. A Celebration for Everyone Whether you’re organising a local event, playing a friendly match, or simply posting a message of support, your voice matters. This celebration is about you — the lifeblood of the sport — and the incredible community we’ve built over the past century. So this 12–13 April, wherever you are in the world, come out and celebrate International Hockey Day with heart, energy, and love for the game. Let’s celebrate hockey. Let’s celebrate each other. Let’s celebrate #InternationalHockeyDay. Don’t forget to post your celebration on social media using #InternationalHockeyDay and tag @fihockey. Do you have an awesome hockey development project that you would like to share with the world? Please tell us about it here: https://fih.formstack.com/forms/hockeydev2025 Source: FIH.hockey

09 Nov, 2024 On the occasion of the 49th FIH Statutory Congress taking place in Muscat, Oman, on 9 November 2024, Tayyab Ikram was re-elected as FIH President. Reacting to his re-election, he said: “My heart is full of gratitude for the trust you’ve placed in me. Many of you have told me that a lot has been achieved in the last 2 years, and that FIH is now much closer to you. However, today, I feel that this is my first day. You’ve given me a new start! I will continue this journey. It will be a time of engagement, a time of empowerment. Athletes are, and will remain, my first priority. They need to be at the centre of everything FIH does.” Danae Andrada (URU), Alberto Daniel Budeisky (ARG) and Erik Cornelissen (NED) were re-elected and Katrin Kauschke (GER) elected as Ordinary Members of the FIH Executive Board. Before the election, Hazel Kennedy (ZAM) and Deon James Morgan (RSA) withdrew their candidature. As an additional sign confirming the steady growth of hockey worldwide, the Congress approved the application of no less than 6 new members, namely Bahrain, Chad, Curacao, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan and Senegal. This brings the overall number of FIH members to 146. In his President’s report at the beginning of proceedings, Tayyab Ikram tackled numerous key strategic priorities, such as the FIH empowerment and engagement strategy, athletes’ welfare, hockey development or events. He highlighted specifically some of the major accomplishments of FIH since the last Congress: Governance: FIH advancing in 5th ASOIF Review Events: Junior World Cup expanding to 24 teams; Nations Cup and Nations Cup 2 introduced, Hockey5s World Cup with much enhanced accessibility Engagement: National Associations Summits Commercial: Partnerships with Hero MotoCorp, Nike and Laureus Social media performance during the Olympic Games Paris 2024: 31 million video views, 225.000 new followers and 125 million impressions Sustainability: FIH winning 2024 IOC Climate Action Award Olympic Solidarity: 60+ projects totaling over USD 2 million The FIH President also announced the launch of a global mental health project for athletes, as well as the launch of athletes and development portals on FIH.hockey. Other decisions: The FIH audited accounts were submitted to Congress and subsequently approved The appointment of Eduardo Mario Guelfand (Argentina) as Judicial Commission President was ratified The recipients of Awards – including FIH Awards, FIH President’s Awards and Order of Merit, amongst others – were revealed (see full list of recipients here). At the start of today’s Congress, IOC President Thomas Bach addressed the delegates specifically, via a video message. For more information about FIH and hockey in general, please download the Watch.Hockey app or follow the FIH social media channels – Facebook, Instagram and Twitter – and website. #HockeyInvites #HockeyEquals

July 10, 2024 As he was in Amsterdam, Netherlands, recently to attend the last matches of the fifth edition of the FIH Hockey Pro League, FIH President Tayyab Ikram participated in the General Assembly of the Dutch Hockey Federation (KNHB) clubs. In his address to the more than 300 clubs belonging to KNHB’s club structure, the FIH President touched upon a wide range of key strategic topics for hockey and its development, and thanked the clubs for the invaluable support that, through their remarkable efforts and dedication, they’re providing to their communities. One of his major focus points was about the way the hockey community presents the sport and its ability to be even more appealing for future generations. “We must look very carefully at the expectations of the youth towards sports. This is fundamental for the future of hockey. Clubs have a major role to play in this regard,” President Ikram said. “Providing a safe environment for children, ensuring to spend enough time with them to socialize, taking appropriate measures to protect mental health are absolute ‘must-do’ for clubs. It’s a matter of respect for the kids in the first place, and crucial to maintain our appeal as a sport too,” he continued. President Ikram emphasized that mental health should be taken into consideration with a more professional approach. Creating a secure and positive environment helps address the challenges our youth face today. The FIH President went on by requesting from club leaders to ensure that young athletes always feel well whenever they’re playing hockey, as this will help them grow not only as players but also as individuals. This, in turn, is beneficial for everyone, including the clubs themselves. He expressly tasked KNHB to embrace this as a major project. Another crucial topic mentioned by the FIH President was inclusion and diversity. He encouraged all clubs to have a more diversified approach: “Please engage with less privileged people, children, or communities. KNHB is already doing a great job with its Foundation; clubs should also start individual initiatives.” President Ikram also highlighted the importance of sustainability within the hockey community. He noted that clubs should leverage the involvement of parents to provide a positive impact on the kids. This involvement is beneficial for the children’s development. Engaging parents in club activities creates opportunities for discussions on club values and community mental health. He further stressed that training is more important than traditional education in the context of sports. “Don’t teach; they learn. Our priority should be to make individuals ready for the future. Whatever is required, clubs should be able to cater to those needs.” With less than a month to go to the next Olympiad, the General Assembly took place, quite symbolically, in the Amsterdam Olympic Stadium that was built for the 1928 Olympic Games. The legacy of the Olympics and recent events serve as reminders of the ongoing commitment to sports excellence and the need to continuously support our athletes. In conclusion, President Ikram reiterated the importance of the club’s role in promoting mental health awareness, sustainability, and the rights of athletes as we look forward to events like the FIH Hockey World Cup in 2026. The focus remains on creating a supportive and inclusive environment for all athletes. Source: FIH.hockey