2010 World Cup hosts India warned to shape up

India are in serious danger of losing the right to host hockey's men's World Cup in 2010, the world governing body warned on Monday.

The International Hockey Federation (FIH), worried at India's falling standards, devised a “Promoting Indian Hockey” project last year to raise standards in the country's national sport.

FIH president Els van Breda Vriesman warned Indian officials they could miss hosting the 2010 World Cup in New Delhi if the project was not implemented immediately.

And the issue and the organisation of the World Cup were again addressed during a three-day meeting of the FIH Executive Board ending on Saturday.

“After having carefully studied the progress made with the project 'Promoting Indian Hockey' as well as the actions taken in the preparation of the World Cup 2010, the Executive Board noted that satisfactory progress had not been made in either area,” the FIH said in a statement.

“However, the Executive Board decided to give Indian Hockey some additional time ... to urgently address those issues before taking a final decision.

“In the meantime, FIH is looking for alternative host countries in case the FIH would be forced to take the decision not to host the World Cup in India,” the statement added.

Eight-time gold medallists India have failed to qualify for the Olympics for the first time.

Since winning the last of their eight Olympic golds at the western-boycotted Moscow Games in 1980, India claimed just one major title when Dhanraj Pillay's men took the Asian Games gold in Bangkok in 1998.

India finished seventh in the last two Olympics and were forced to qualify for Beijing after failing to win an Asian Games medal in Doha.