BHUBANESWAR 26-Feb-2015 36
Cycle polo or Bike Polo is a team sport, similar to traditional polo, except that bicycles are used instead of horses. There are two versions of the sport: Grass and Hardcourt Cycle Polo. The hardcourt game has seen a sharp rise in interest as of 2007 and new teams are sprouting up across the world.
Cycle polo can now be accounted for in the USA, Ireland, Switzerland, France, India, Germany, Pakistan, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Hungary, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, England, Scotland, Argentina, Italy, Spain, Canada, Poland, Croatia, Slovenia, Nepal, Brazil and Cuba.
The game was invented in County Wicklow, Ireland, in 1891 by retired champion cyclist Richard J Mecredy, editor of `The Irish Cyclist` magazine. Cycle polo was a demonstration sport at the 1908 London Olympics with Ireland winning the gold, beating Germany.
Traditional cycle polo is played in a rectangular grass field, 150 meters by 100 meters officially, unofficially whatever field is big enough. Moreover, official dimensions can vary between 120 and 150 meters in length on 80 to 100 meters in width. The ball used approximately 2.5 inches in diameter and the mallet is of length one meter.
There are six members (7 in France) on a team of which four (5 in France) are on field at a time. The other two are used as substitutes. International matches are played for a duration of 30 minutes divided into periods of 7.5 minutes each called as a chukkar. Extra time can be used to determine the winner in case the scores are tied at normal time.
If a deliberate foul is committed at the vicinity of the goal, the team that is fouled is automatically given a goal. Less severe fouls are awarded 15 metre and 25 metre free hits. In the event of deliberate fouls or dangerous fouls, the umpire can issue the Yellow card (warning) and in case of repeated or severe fouls the Red card (ejection). The ejected player can be replaced by a substitute after the end of the current chukkar if the umpire allows it.
India were champions in the first four editions of the World Cycle Polo Championships (1996 at Richland, USA; 1999 at Vancouver, Canada; 2000 at New Delhi; 2001 at London). India also finished third twice (2002 at Paris and 2004 at Vancouver).
India also won the title, defeating Pakistan in the 1st Asian Cycle Polo Championship, held at Jodhpur from Sept 19 to 25, 2011. Cycle Polo Federation of India, the apex governing body of the sport in the country, has around 4,500 registered players in its rank.
The game of cycle polo in India found it’s roots in early 1900’s. India is the home of Polo in the world and has produced world famous teams in Horse Polo of Maharajas of Jaipur, Jodhpur, Alwar and Patiala. It was these Maharajas who in the off season for Horse Polo took on the game of Cycle Polo to keep themselves fit.
After the second World War when the horses were reduced from Army activities, the game of Cycle Polo became popular with the Indian and British regiments. From the Princely connections to the glamour of the Army regiments the game of Cycle Polo became common men’s game with the founding of the Cycle Polo Federation of India (CPFI) in the year 1966. The CPFI has 32 affiliated states and defence associations. The states in turn have district and club memberships.
