Raza Abidi is the face of UAE Hockey as it goes places

Abidi's task is to organise hockey events in the UAE and abroad, and facilitate the UAE team

Syed Muhammad Raza Abidi, Chief Coordinator of the UAE Hockey Federation, and also its founding member, has definite plans when it comes to promoting the game of hockey. He proudly represents the UAE Hockey team, and acts as a catalyst in making it go places to further its talent. He is also the Sports Secretary of the Pakistan Social Centre, Sharjah, which is another feather in his cap. He is the only member to have been elected consecutively for a third term.
Abidi's task is to organise hockey events in the UAE and abroad, and facilitate the UAE team. He is also a media person, and has a resounding anchor base as he has interviewed many of the legendary sports and political personalities, including His Highness Sheikh Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Education and Chairman of Cricket Board UAE; H.E Shaikh Ahmed Hasher Al Maktoum, tennis legend Roger Federer, former Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto, General Pervez Musharraf and many such icons.
He is an articulate but humble person, and all that he has on his mind is empowering the youth who have a passion for hockey. Though his initial leaning in school days was in cricket, hockey was destined to be his identity and pride of performance. Abidi did a wonderful job in the sport of his choice, and is an asset for the UAE hockey establishment, as well as for his home country, Pakistan.
Abidi is associated with the UAE hockey since 1996, and his more than two decades of service has won laurels for the Emiratis in the world of hockey. As an astute orgainser, Abidi gleefully discloses that all top teams of the world have toured and played in the UAE, and the Emirati team itself has been around the world showcasing its talent.
Abidi has represented the UAE Hockey Committee in Holland for the Federation of International Hockey Congress in which more than 115 countries participated. He was also the only Pakistani and the youngest participant of the congress from the UAE Hockey Federation. He has his words of appreciation for Ismail Ali Al Banna, President of UAE Hockey Federation, and Tayyab Ikram, CEO Asian Federation.
On a nostalgic note, Abidi - who hails from Karachi - recalls that Pakistan once ruled the world of hockey with all the prestigious titles on its shelves. As a word of caution from his prudent experience, Abidi says Pakistan can regain its lost glory if professionalism is set in the hockey establishment. He says a player should at least be made to train and play for a year in the camp before selecting him for a national or international event in the side.
- mehkri@khaleejtimes.com