Virbahadur gets Grade I norm

By S. Thyagarajan

BRUSSELS, NOV. 27. The committees of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) has begun debating multifarious issues confronting the sport. The contours of ther meetings being held here, may be different but the goal is the same - giving hockey a higher profile as a major spectator sport that is part of the Olympics.

Several points are of crucial importance for India. In the first meeting of the umpires committee there was cause for some cheer. Virbahadur Singh of Indian Airlines obtained the Grade I norm and became the third umpire within a year to be elevated; Blaise Monteiro, regarded as the brightest prospect, gained the norm last year followed by Satish Sharma.

Mr. Graham Nash, Chairman of Umpires Committee, expressed happiness over the consistent improvement in the quality of umpiring in India and noted that the grading of three in one year reflected that.

The Committee also discussed various issues, the major one being giving some financial rewards to the umpires. The figure recommended is US $50. The move to raise the age limit to 50 from 47 did not get the consensus. Mr. Ku Ku Walia attended the meeting.

The other committees are in various stages of discussions which will conclude by Thursday for the Executive Board to give its seal of approval.

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