Legendary Resham Bains to receive FIH's Order of Merit award

Former Kenyan international Resham Bains will receive hockey's Order of Merit in November for his exemplary service to the game, Federation of International Hockey (FIH) announced on Thursday.

Bains, who played hockey for Kenya during the 1971 World Cup in Barcelona and at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, will receive the award that is granted to members of FIH for distinguished service over a period of at least 10 years for exceptional contribution towards the sport.

"It will be a befitting tribute for my former opponent on the field to receive the award during the same month I will be leaving office after serving at the helm of hockey for eight years," FIH President Leandro Negre said Thursday in a statement in its website.

Bains, a former Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) chairman, will become the second Kenyan to receive the award after Hardial Singh was honoured by the world governing body in 1984.

The Olympian was one of the players who were honoured on Monday night during Sikh Union Club’s Mahan Hall of Fame launch.

The Mahan Hall of Fame, which was officially inaugurated by Negre, is a tribute to all the Olympic, World Cup and national team players who have held the stick over the last 85 years.

Negre, a former Spanish goalkeeper, called on the government invest more in hockey so as to restore the sport back to its glory days.

Bains, who served as KHU president between 2005 and 2013, played in the half-back position and took up umpiring after retiring in 1975.

He served as a member of the FIH Umpiring Committee from 2003-2005, vice-president of the Africa Hockey Federation and is a member of the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (Noc-K).

“I am humbled at the recognition and I hope the award will inspire others to continue working to ensure the sport's image is restored,” Bains told Daily Nation Sport.

Meanwhile, Kenya is likely to host the 2016 Africa Club Championship tournament after Zimbabwe pulled out of hosting the annual continental club event.

KHU chair Nahashon Randiek said the Hockey Association of Zimbabwe had pulled out of hosting the event due to financial constraints.

“With Zimbabwe out of the running to host the event and no other country willing to take it, we are in discussion with African Hockey Federation to see if we will host the event,” he said.

Kenya last hosted the event in 2009 with Telkom Orange winning the women’s event.