State Sports Minister Udayanidhi Stalin presents a memento to HI secretary Bhola Nath Singh at the announcement of the Asian Champions Trophy in Chennai.
| Photo Credit: R. RAGU
The seventh Asian men’s Champions Trophy hockey tournament will be held at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium here from August 3 to 12. This is the first time the tournament will be held in India.
Confirming this at a press conference on Monday, Tamil Nadu Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development Udhayanidhi Stalin said the State Government would go all out to ensure the tournament becomes a huge success.
“It’s a matter of pride for TN to be hosting a prestigious tournament after 16 long years,” said Udhayanidhi. The last time an International hockey tournament was held in the city was in 2007 when the Asia Cup was conducted.
Hockey India secretary Bhola Nath Singh said, “Odisha is renowned all over the world for its hockey. Hockey India will provide support to Udhayanidhi’s initiative to create a similar hockey hub in TN,” he said.
HI treasurer and president of the Tamil Nadu unit Sekar J. Manoharan said with more such tournaments, there are more chances of Tamil Nadu players making it to the Indian team.
Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu member secretary J. Meghanatha Reddy said a new turf would be laid at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium soon and search was on for a proper place to lay a practice turf.
India, Pakistan, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan and China are expected to take part. April 25th will be the last date for the withdrawal of entries. Atulya Misra, Additional Chief Secretary to Government, Youth Welfare and Sports Development spoke. I. Parandhamen, MLA, Egmore Constitutency, was present.
Star Sports will telecast the Asian Champions Trophy live.
