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01.09.2016 Hockey

Ghana Hockey Association launches World League Round 1

By GNA
Ghana Hockey Association launches World League Round 1
01.09.2016 LISTEN

By Emmanuel Asante Attakora, GNA
Accra, Sept. 1, GNA - The Ghana Hockey Association (GHA), has launched the Hockey World League Round 1, at the Theodosia Okoh Hockey pitch in Accra.

The hockey world league round 1, which is to give participating countries the opportunity to qualify for the second round of the World League in February 2017, is scheduled to start from Friday, September 9 to Sunday, September 11, at the Stadium.

Ghana is hosting teams from Nigeria, Kenya and Namibia in both the men and women's category for the tournament.

At the press launch on Wednesday to outdoor the sponsors and the Ghana teams to the media, the President of Ghana Hockey Association, Mr Richard Akpokavi noted that the International Hockey Federation, introduced a world hockey league for many nations to host the league in various continents.

It was one of the paths to qualify through to the world cup and also give ranking points to help the various national teams.

'Ghana is honoured to host one of the leagues…in Accra in September, with four countries participating.

'The champions from both the male and female categories will qualify for the hockey world league round two, with the women set to be in Valencia Spain in February 2017 after they qualify with the men to be in Bangladesh in 2017.'

Mr Akpokavi explained that it is important for Ghana to host the league as it would give Ghanaians the opportunity to see world class hockey.

'We are used to our local hockey league and it is time to be introduced to hockey from Africa and the world at large.

'It is also an opportunity for the corporate world who have supported hockey in the past and those supporting now and the ones to come on board in the future to see what hockey has and for them to know that it's worth partnering hockey to sell their brands and at the same time sell hockey,' he added.

Mr Akpokavi urged the Sports Ministry to help get more hockey astro turfs to inculcate into the youth the game of hockey and also nurture talents in the various regions.

A member of the local organising committee for the tournament, Madam Elizabeth Safoah king used the occasion to solicit for support from the media and corporate Ghana to help fund the tournament, since government alone cannot sponsor the competition successfully.

'We are having this media launch to let the media help the GHA to give this tournament the necessary hype for more sponsors to come on board since the budget has not been met yet with few days to start the tournament.

'We have a budget of about GH¢100.000 but as we speak now we have less than half that amount,' she said.

The Minister of Youth of Sports, Edwin Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, who was the special invited guest expressed gratitude to the GHA for making it possible for Ghana to get the nod to host the tournament.

'I am very pleased and excited that Ghana has been given the privilege to host such an exemplary tournament.

'Reading the literature on this world league I see the intention of the International Federation of making hockey as attractive as football, playing the leagues and making hockey very competitive and an all year round activity to also encourage the improvement of the game in the various continents,' he said.

Nii Lantey, advised GHA and both the male and female teams, to do well to raise the flag of Ghana high and reciprocate the gesture the corporate sponsors have shown.

He called on corporate bodies who are willing to help make the tournament a success to come on board to facilitate a better contest.

GNA

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