In an effort to broaden the understanding of hockey, Hockey India provides technical training for umpires and technical personnel throughout the country. The move toward online interaction was triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to strict lockdowns to stop the virus from spreading. With health experts advising people to stay indoors, wear masks, and maintain hygiene to break the chain of infection, video calls became the primary tool for effective communication.
Hockey India conducts, and offers technical sessions, to the Umpires and Technical staffs around India which aims to spread the knowledge of the sport’s Hockey. The pandemic crisis has evoked a lockdown in countries to control the spread of the viral flu, COVID-19, in the countries. The parasite has 14 days of lifespan before it completely knocks the immune system in the body, the host can protect oneself by sanitizing their hands, wearing a mask, social distancing, and staying indoors so that one could avoid acting as a transmitter in spreading the disease. Thus, leading to a visual communication video call, to help communicate with ease.
While Hockey India's coaching staff had previously utilized phone and video calls to keep players updated on their training regimens and technical focus, the organization took a further step on April 20, 2020. They launched a series of WhatsApp groups tailored for registered technical officials and umpires. These groups serve as a hub for knowledge sharing and fitness discussions during the lockdown. To keep things organized, they created six groups in total, splitting them equally between the technical staff and the umpires.
The technical groups are overseen by experienced representatives such as Mr. Moghul Mohammed Muneer, Mr. H.S Sokhi, and Mr. Claudius de Sales, while the umpires' groups are supervised by Mr. G Harsha Vardhan, Mr. G S Sangha, and Mr. Javed Shaikh. The managing directors and umpires have set up a six-day weekly schedule, allowing participants to dive deep into FIH rules, regulations, and any protocol-related questions.
Mohd. Mushtaque Ahmad, President of Hockey India, expressed strong support for this digital initiative. He highlighted that officials and technical staff are just as vital to the sport as the players themselves. By utilizing the lockdown to study FIH regulations and analyze future tournament needs, he believes the overall standard of the game will improve. Currently, over 1,100 members from across India are involved, with a total of 70 WhatsApp groups organized by region. Meanwhile, the association had to call off the recent FIH Pro League matches due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis.