Decision on 3rd umpire this month

HYDERABAD: Get ready for third umpires in hockey.
The international hockey federation (FIH) is all set to take significant decisions on use of third umpires in important international tournaments like the World Cup, Olympics and Champions Trophy at its upcoming Executive Board meeting in Leipzig, Germany, from November 18.
"The FIH umpiring committee and rules board would also be meeting at Leipzig during that time to discuss this matter and they might take some decision as trials have already been held," informed Kukoo Walia, member, Umpiring Committee of FIH and AHF.
The demand for the use of a third umpire to assist the two field umpires in hockey has increased in recent times following frequent controversial decisions.
"After a lot of discussion, it has been decided that a third umpire can be consulted for decisions on whether the shot at goal was taken from inside the striking circle; whether the ball has entered the goal following a deflection off a stick and whether the ball has crossed the goal-line before being cleared by a defender," Walia told the participants at the five-day Asian Hockey Federation''s umpires'' seminar which began on the sidelines of the 4th Women''s Junior Asia Cup at the Gachibowli Stadium here.
Walia, appointed by the AHF to conduct the seminar being attended by 27 umpires from India, Pakistan, Japan, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Oman and Malaysia, said there is some noise against the introduction of the third umpire from certain quarters which fear that such a rule would affect the flow of the game. "That''s one area of concern in FIH circles because consulting the third umpire will take some time and therefore break the flow of the game. That''s the reason for the delay in arriving at a decision. There is also the factor of additional cost," Walia added.
Notwithstanding these factors, Walia feels that the need for a third umpire is gaining ground internationallly and believes that such a rule could come in to force in the next few years.
The FIH has already conducted trials with third umpires at the 2002 Women''s World Cup and the 2003 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup. During these tournaments, the field umpires were ‘wired'' with the third umpire who was sitting in front of a TV screen, and decisions were directly communicated to the field umpire.
Walia also informed the participants that the FIH will be observing 2005 as the Year of the Umpires during which programmes will be organised all over the world to improve the standard of umpiring. The programme will be launched later this month.
As part of the programme, the FIH will be giving special grants to continental federations to organise similar seminars for umpires. The AHF has plans to organise at least four such seminars in Asia.