Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore announces full government support for Indian hockey team

Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore said that the upcoming year will be big for the Indian hockey team in their road to the next Olympics in Tokyo, with major events such as the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and the World Cup lined up

Union sports minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore announced full support to the Indian hockey team for their success at the Commonwealth Games (CWG), Asian Games, World Cup and Olympic qualifiers next year. (IND vs GER HWL match highlights)

Indian men’s hockey team players pose for a photograph with their FIH Men’s Hockey World League Final bronze medals after winning the third place play-off match against Germany at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Sunday. (AFP)

“In the past few months, our hockey team’s performance has been good. In this tournament also, the comeback has been good. Indian team is the youngest in average age, which helps build endurance, speed and bench strength,” observed Rathore at the sildelines of the medal play-offs of the FIH Men’s Hockey World League Final in Bhubaneswar on Sunday.

“I know from here to CWG, Asiad and WC, these are Olympic preparatory tournaments while being major competitions themselves. The ministry will give complete funding to Hockey India in terms of whatever they need,” added the Atlanta Olympics silver medallist.

Rathore reiterated that 2018 is the year of sports in India.

“In all the schemes until now the focus has been on infrastructure funding,” he said. “It‘s the easiest thing to do. But how do you bring players to practice in those stadiums, that funding was missing. Khelo India Khelo is country’s soft sponsorships. Every year we will fund 1000 players, give them Rs 5 lakh for the next eight years and keep adding 1000 to that every year.”