PR Sreejesh and Camila Caram Appointed Co-Chairs of FIH Athletes Committee

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has appointed former Indian men’s hockey team captain and goalkeeper PR Sreejesh and Chile’s Camila Caram as co-chairs of the FIH Athletes Committee. This announcement was made by the FIH on March 27, 2024.

Roles and Responsibilities

Camila Caram has been assigned as the co-chair and athlete committee representative on the executive board.
PR Sreejesh, as the co-chair, will lead the planning and meetings along with Caram.
Sreejesh, aged 35, was first elected as a member of the FIH Athletes Committee in 2017 and has now been appointed as co-chair for the first time.

FIH Athletes Committee: Bridging Players and Governing Body

The FIH Athletes Committee comprises former and current hockey players.
It acts as a link between the players and the international governing body for hockey.
The committee makes recommendations to various FIH bodies, including the Executive Board, Committees, Advisory Panels, and others, for the development and betterment of hockey worldwide.
It liaises with the Athletes’ Commission of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and other sporting organizations to share information and research to develop the game of hockey.

PR Sreejesh: Hockey Star from Kerala

PR Sreejesh was born into a family of farmers in Kizhakkambalam village, Ernakulam district of Kerala.
He made his Indian debut at the 2006 South Asian Games in Sri Lanka.
Sreejesh has represented India in three Summer Olympics.
He was part of the Indian team that won gold at the 2014 Asian Games and bronze at the 2015 FIH Hockey World League Final.
Sreejesh received the Arjuna Award in 2015 and the Padma Shri in 2017.
He was appointed as the captain of the Indian hockey team in 2016.

FIH: The Governing Body of Hockey

The Fédération Internationale de Hockey sur Gazon (FIH) was founded by Paul Léautey on January 7, 1924.
In 1982, the International Federation of Women’s Hockey Associations merged with the FIH.
After the merger, the FIH became the world governing body of men’s and women’s hockey.
The FIH has 140 member countries.
Its headquarters is located in Lausanne, Switzerland.
The current FIH President is Tayyab Ikram.

The appointment of PR Sreejesh and Camila Caram as co-chairs of the FIH Athletes Committee is a significant development, ensuring the voices of hockey players are represented at the highest levels of the sport’s governing body.