Federations Roundup - Indian Hockey; Triathlon Bids; Equestrian Milestone

FIH Sees Strong Future in Indian Hockey

While India’s national hockey team may have fallen on hard times, the International Hockey Federation, FIH, rejects the idea that the sport could soon meet its demise in India.

Jenny Wiedeke, a spokeswoman for FIH, tells Around the Ringshockey is too enmeshed in Indian culture to disappear.

She made the comments after Indian national player Shivendra Singh said if India doesn't qualify for the 2012 tournament, "hockey will almost die in our country."

"It is safe to say that this comment shows the desire that the Indian team has to qualify for London, but in no way does an entire sport’s future in any country rest on one national team’s ability to qualify for the Olympic Games," she countered.

"There is great interest for hockey in India, and like any country that participates in the Games, that interest will have a surge if the national team participates in London. Should the team not qualify for the Games, the tradition of hockey in India is so strong and deep that the sport will certainly endure."

Wiedeke’s comments come as India hosts an Olympic qualification tournament this week in New Delhi. After a 5-2 loss to top-ranked South Africa, India’s women must beat Italy on Friday to keep their Olympic hopes alive. The men, meanwhile, have yet to lose a match but meet second-place Canada later Wednesday.

India has won eight gold medals in hockey, more than any other team. However, its last major gold medal was the 2007 Asian Cup, a tournament for the Asian Hockey Federation.

Call for 2013 Triathlon Bids

Bidding is underway forseven of the eight stops on triathlon’s recently rebranded 2013 ITU World Triathlon Series.

Documents are due to the International Triathlon Union by April 13 with the host cities expected to be announced May 15.

The winners will join previously crowned Grand Final host London on the ITU’s world championship series for 2013.

"Thanks to the world class cities having hosted ITU World Triathlon Series events in the past, triathlon is now more visible and exposed to global audiences," said ITU president Marisol Casado.

"With the growing worldwide television coverage,theevents have a tremendous impact on a city's image, regional economy and social legacy."

Click here to view the bid information.

Oceania Canoe Qualifying

A pair of Olympic berths are up for grabs at this weekend’s Oceania Canoe Slalom Championships in Sydney.

More than 200 athletes from 24 countries will compete in the event, though a number are already qualified for the Games and so won’t be eligible for the one men’s canoe and one men’s kayak spots.

The championships are also doubling as the last chance for home athletes to make Team Australia for London 2012. Men’s C1 paddler Matt Gabb, men’s C2 Kynan Maley and Robin Jeffery, men’s K1 Warwick Draper and women’s K1 Jessica Fox are the Aussie frontrunners, according to the International Canoe Federation.

"Another 100 Years of Equestrian"

FEI president Princess Haya says she is looking forward to another 100 years of equestrian in the Olympic Games.

"We are really proud to be celebrating 100 years of Olympic equestrian sport at the London 2012 Games and it’s wonderful that we will be doing that at an iconic venue like Greenwich Park right in the heart of the Games," she said Wednesday in a statement.

"Protecting our status in the Olympic Movement is very important to the FEI, and my role as a member of the IOC provides me with the opportunity to promote our sport and our Federation in the future. We have made great strides in the past 100 years and we are now looking forward to another 100 years of equestrian sport in the Olympic Games."

Equestrian is one of the few Olympic sports pitting male and female athletes against each other and the only one involving an animal.

Written by Ed Hula III and Matthew Grayson.

20 Years at #1: