Sweden's Bjorn Isberg was today appointed as the tournament director while Andy Mair from Scotland was named as the umpire's manager for the fourth Hockey India League (HIL), here.
Coal HIL, the flagship event of Hockey India (HI) and sanctioned by the International Hockey Federation (FIH), is scheduled to be held across six venues across the country from January 10 to February 21.
The tournament will witness six franchises Jaypee Punjab Warriors, Delhi Waveriders, Kalinga Lancers, Uttar Pradesh Wizards, Dabang Mumbai and defending champions Ranchi Rays battling for supremacy in the richest field hockey league in the world.
Besides three-time HIL tournament Director, Isberg, Mair from Scotland has been appointed as the umpire's manager as one of the major officials governing the tournament.
Mair enjoyed a long career on the World Panel and having umpired at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2012 London Olympics, he will also be a part of the umpiring team at the 2016 Rio Games as a video umpire. He cites his biggest achievement as umpiring the 2010 World Cup final in Delhi.
Muthukumar Balakrisnan from Malaysia will don the role of the assistant tournament director in the fourth edition of the HIL. Muthukumar retired from international umpiring in 2002 and has since enjoyed a long and successful career as a technical official both in Asia and internationally.
The Indian contingent on board for the fourth season of HIL consists of technical officer Davinder Bhatia, a former player for the Indian women's national team, her highlights include a gold medal in the 1981 Asia Cup and the 1982 Asian Games. Since becoming a technical official she is regularly appointed as a tournament director within India. Davinder will be partnered by Claudius De Sales from India in this division.
The judge's panel will see a lot of Indians in action with names like Milind Narwekar, Anjali Sharma and Sonia Bathla.
Milind has been a regular fixture at many events in India and South East Asia for a number of years, both as an umpire and more recently as a technical official.
