FIH Chairman Ikram says new Penalty Corner Rules trials have been canceled

FIH President Tayyab Ikram said on Friday, on the sidelines of the Asian Champions Cup at the Mayor’s Radhakrishnan Stadium in Chennai, proposed attempts to change the penalty corner rules have been abandoned.

“The FIH has decided to suspend or even abandon the new corner penalty attempt. We will not consider the format we suggested earlier for testing. “We will consider more options, but we are in favor of keeping the penalty corner in the same format,” Ikram said.

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“If we change it, it will be in the same format in more dynamic ways. In any case, we will not compromise on any measures that will lead to dangerous play and endanger the safety of our athletes. This is something we want to provide.

“There has been no pressure from anyone. It’s a real assessment. The main thing is that we want to keep the penalty corner as compact as possible. Not only does it improve goal-scoring, it also gives appeal to our sport. We want to keep it that way. But we need to keep working to improve the safety of our athletes.”

What changes has the FIH proposed?

In a press release, the sport’s global governing body recommended the following changes to its Penalty Corner routine:

• The layout of the Penalty Corner is the same as the current rule, except that for a goal to be scored, the ball must go at least 5 m outside the circle, beyond the 5 m dotted circle.

• Number of defenders left at 5, all starting from behind the back line

• The number of attackers is at the discretion of the attacking team.

• All offensive players except the first injector must start 5 m outside the circle (dotted line)

• When the ball is played from the baseline, all players can move and play normally

• There is no restriction on the height of the shots on goal once the ball has left the 5m dotted line and returned inside the circle. Normal hockey rules regarding dangerous play apply

• Defenders are allowed to wear additional protective equipment according to the current Rules, but this is for trial purposes only. The goal is to eliminate the need to wear any additional protective equipment for a PC.

Why did the FIH want to change the PC rules?

• Keep the existing Penalty Corner setup but reduce the danger by removing the direct shot so defenders don’t need to run towards an offensive player shooting a goal

• Change the emphasis to using an overload of players and options instead of a straight hit on goal. It is more similar to regular hockey with a significant advantage that more players are available for the attacking team

• Eliminate the need for additional protective equipment to be worn by fielders, reduce barriers to having to purchase more equipment, and improve the safety and secure appearance of hockey

• At the international level, the time allowed for teams to assemble after a PC has been awarded can be reduced from 40 seconds (20 seconds) to speed up the game and reduce lag.

What did current and former players say about the offer?

German dragflick expert Gonzalo Peillat – “Is this a joke? I can’t wait to see what the corner defense has to say”

Former Pakistani goalkeeper Salman Akbar – “International Hockey Federation (FIH) FIH Academy Please think again. This will limit the goalkeepers’ influence in winning tournaments. Drag flick is an art and has equal influence in winning tournaments. Eliminating this battle between PC defense and attack is not going to bring any appeal or benefit to this beautiful sport.”

“Hockey India welcomes the FIH’s decision to waive penalty corner trials and appreciates its leadership in timely response. This decision will preserve the dynamic character of the sport of hockey by maintaining agility and speed without compromising the safety of the athletes.”