Home games of FIH Hockey Pro League to be held initially without spectators

Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], February 18 (ANI): The upcoming home games of the FIH Hockey Pro League 2021/2022 in Kalinga Hockey Stadium, Bhubaneswar will be a telecast-only affair as Hockey India and FIH have decided to hold the double-header weekend matches starting from February 26 under closed-doors for the time being.
Both Indian men's and women's hockey teams will play against Spain on February 26 and 27 followed by matches against Germany on March 12 and 13 while the men's team will take on Argentina in a double-header on March 19 and 20.
The following month, the Indian Men and Women's Hockey team will play England on April 2 and 3.
"With the sheer popularity of the sport in this region and expected crowds in the stadium, the organizers believe it would not be possible control that number of people and yet follow all the necessary covid guidelines and protocols laid out by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, FIH and Hockey India. Social distancing is a priority due to the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic situation and the safety of the fans and athletes needs to be prioritized," stated an official release.
For the organizers, it is imperative to hold the tournament in an environment where the health and safety of the participating teams, including support staff, is of paramount importance. While the stadium will only be open to accredited operational staff, participants of the tournament, sponsors, staff of participating organizations, delegates, and guests invited by Hockey India and FIH, the matches will be broadcasted live across platforms around the world, and fans can tune in and cheer for their favourite teams and players.
The situation will be reviewed at the end of February 2022 for matches scheduled from March 2022. (ANI)