Bhubaneswar, Jan 29 (IANS): The Executive Board (EB) of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) on Saturday approved a first-of-its-kind project aiming at better engagement with and empowering the National Associations (NAs) around the world.

The FIH will introduce concrete measures in key focus areas -- more hockey pitches, a boost to coaching, more opportunities to compete, and more tools to empower National Associations. The measures will be implemented shortly.

The FIH on Saturday took the opportunity of the FIH Odisha Hockey Men's World Cup 2023 to hold its first meeting of the year in Bhubaneswar, under the chairmanship of FIH President Tayyab Ikram. A few National Associations Presidents present in Bhubaneswar were invited to attend the start of the meeting and exchange with the EB members.

The FIH President opened the meeting by extending the sincerest gratitude of the EB to the Odisha government, Hockey India and the FIH team for their excellent work and commitment to delivering such an outstanding FIH Hockey Men's World Cup. He added that his first 60 days in his new capacity had been made of "hockey, hockey and more hockey!".

Tayyab Ikram also informed the EB that he used his first weeks as FIH President to engage in a large consultation process, with athletes, Continental Federations, National Associations, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) or the FIH team in particular.

"With development being at the heart of the FIH mission, the EB approved a first-of-a-kind project aiming at better engaging with and empowering the National Associations (NAs) around the world," the FIH informed in a release on Saturday.

To cover more inclusion topics than gender, the EB has decided to rename the Women in Sports Committee into "Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee".

Furthermore, the EB members received detailed reports and updates about a wide range of topics, including hockey development, finance, events, sports, commercials, broadcast or marketing communications.