The resumption of competitive hockey in various countries amid the COVID-19 pandemic will depend entirely on local conditions, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) has said.
The FIH said that any return to training and competitive hockey has to be "carefully implemented to prevent any resurgence in infection".
According to a top FIH official said while a vaccine is needed to "return to normal competition", restarting the sport at different levels is dependent on conditions in various member nations.
"We have never said that hockey can only start once the COVID-19 vaccine is developed...this document (the five-stage resumption plan) has been prepared only to give them a framework on how to start things under precaution," an FIH official told PTI.
"In the end resumption of hockey entirely depends on local conditions, which means it entirely depends on instructions and guidelines of government of respective countries based on their current situation."
"The next stage will be a resumption of regional competition, followed by local travel between neighbouring nations. The trans-Continental competition will follow and, finally, once a vaccine is in place, it is hoped there will be a return to normal competition."