(Photo: © FIH / Gordon Morrison)

During the Executive Board meeting of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) in Lausanne last weekend, Fernando Riba was welcomed as new treasurer. The 66 years old Spaniard takes over from Swiss Jean-Pierre Strebel, who recently resigned.

Riba is a well known person in the world of sports and had many prestigious functions such as Secretary General of FC Barcelona, representative of the Barcelona Olympic Games for the IOC, financial advisor of the IOC and commission member for the construction of the Olympic Museum.

FIH President Leandro Negre is pleased with having Riba as new treasurer. ‘He will be an additional value to the FIH’, Negre stated. ‘Mr. Riba is well known in the Olympic Movement and a personal friend for many years. I am happy that he is willing to help the FIH.’

One of the important topics of the Executive Board meeting was the status reports of the 2009 and 2010 FIH World Level Events, including the 2010 FIH World Cup in New Delhi, India. The Executive Board stated that it will monitor the progress of all the events carefully.

The Executive Board approved the start of a World Club Competition. It is the aim of the FIH to have the first edition of this new event early 2010 in Barcelona, Spain. The FIH Competitions and Marketing Committees will now develop this new FIH World Level Event.

The Executive Board also approved the start of the process to regain a place in the IOC as one of the most important Olympic sports. It will bring President Leandro Negre forward at the earliest opportunity to try to get him elected as IOC member.

The new directions for the strategic plan have been presented, discussed and approved by the Executive Board. In essence, the main objective is to raise the profile of the sport and simplify the strategic process and identify a couple of key objectives every stakeholder can contribute to.

Furthermore, the Executive Board reviewed and approved the 2009 budget to take into account the difficult situation of the financial crisis worldwide.

The next FIH Executive Board meeting will take place in Lausanne, Switzerland in July 2009. The wish of FIH President Leandro Negre to extend the number of FIH Executive Board meetings from two to four per year has been accepted, starting from 2010.