(30 November 2005 2:00 pm)

MUMBAI: Hockey's governing body the FIH has announced that the ongoing women’s Samsung Hockey Champions Trophy in Canberra, Australia, is setting new television coverage records.

The tournament which concludes on Sunday is being broadcast in all six competing nations for the first time.Ten Sports is airing the event in India and the Middle East .

The event is being broadcast to more than 500 million viewers in 93 countries via eight television networks and will reach its highest ever global potential audience. It is airing in Australia on ABC and in Malaysia on Astro.

FIH president Els van Breda Vriesman said, “The record television coverage of the Samsung Hockey Champions Trophy reflects the hard work undertaken by the International Hockey Federation this year to improve the exposure of hockey around the world”.

Meanwhile the FIH is organising a benefit match to aid those affected by earthquake in Pakistan and India. In cooperation with the Indian Hockey Confederation, the benefit match will be held on 8 December 2005 in Chennai, India, before the start of the men’s Sahara Hockey Champions Trophy.