BHUBANESWAR 02-Dec-2014 15
Kalinga Stadium Hockey Complex is all set to make Temple City Bhubaneswar the new Hockey City of the world by staging the 35th FIH Men`s Champions Trophy from December 6 to 14. The cute little stadium with a sitting capacity of 7,000, drew international attention by hosting five matches of Hockey India League earlier this year. After the Champions Trophy, it is likely to be the venue for the FIH World Cup in 2018.
But all these achievements would not have been possible if Olympian-turned-politician Dilip Tirkey had not boycotted the stadium for three months in 2010, in protest against the ill-treatment meted out to him and fellow sportspersons by the then in-charge of the multi-discipline stadium. ‘‘I will not enter Kalinga Stadium until the completion of construction work of the hockey stadium there,’’ the former India captain had announced.
