Mumbai, Mar 18 (IANS): With drag-flicks becoming powerful with each passing day and defenders in desperation putting their bodies in line to block them from going towards the goal, penalty corner routines are becoming dangerous for players.

The defenders too are forced to use a large number of protective gears to safeguard themselves, resembling characters from sci-fi movies.

To tackle such issues, the international hockey federation (FIH) is set to launch a global penalty corner consultation project to gather input from across the hockey world on how we can maintain the excitement and spectacle of the penalty corner set-piece.

The Executive Board of the FIH in a virtual meeting on Friday approved the project which will also suggest measures for reducing the potential danger for defenders and the need for a large amount of protective equipment to be worn during the penalty corner set-piece.

"The EB has approved to launch a global Penalty Corner consultation project, to gather input from across the hockey world on how we can maintain the excitement and spectacle of the penalty corner set-piece, whilst reducing the potential danger for defenders and the need for a large amount of protective equipment to be worn," the FIH informed in a release on Friday.

"This consultation project could lead to trials of new rules, but no permanent rule change will be implemented until at least after the Olympic Games Paris 2024," the release said.

The FIH had earlier this year changed the rules and allowed players defending penalty corners to keep the protective equipment on even after the ball goes outside the striking circle.

The FIH Executive Board on Friday received reports on the preparation status of the upcoming FIH events, including the FIH Hockey Women's Junior World Cup South Africa 2021, which will start on April 1 at the North-West University of Potchefstroom.

The FIH has also expressed its full solidarity with Ukraine, whose team is facing problems in preparing and getting to South Africa for the event after Russia's invasion of their country.

The FIH had on March 3 withdrawn Russia's invitation and invited Austria to replace them.

"FIH has been in regular contact with the Hockey Association of Ukraine to offer any support it can to the Ukrainian team, whose participation in the upcoming FIH Hockey Women's Junior World Cup is not confirmed at this stage. Furthermore, FIH has extended its appreciation and thanks to the Hockey Associations of Poland and the Netherlands for the support they've been providing to Ukrainian hockey," the FIH said in the release.