By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year

Hockey_World_Cup_trophyNovember 10 - London will find out tomorrow whether its bid to host the 2014 Hockey World Cup at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, which has been launched in association with boxing promoter Frank Warren, has been successful.


The International Hockey Federation (FIH) are due to pick the host at its Congress and Forum in Montreux.

London is one of two bidders and faces competition from the Netherlands.

England has not hosted the tournament since 1986 while the Netherlands staged it in 1998, when it was staged in Utrecht.

London's bid is the favourite.

It has been developed by the England Hockey Board (EHB) with the support of Visit London's Events for London and UK Sport's major event teams.

Together with the Olympic Park Legacy Company, Lee Valley Regional Park Authority and Frank Warren, the EHB is looking to maximise the opportunity afforded to sport by the London 2012 Olympics and, with 630,000 spectators set to attend hockey matches at the Games, the anticipated increased interest in hockey.

A successful bid would see Warren, who has represented many of Britain's top fighters, including Amir Khan and Joe Calzaghe, lead the promotion and ticketing for the World Cups as part of UK Sport's ambitious programme to bring major events to the UK post-2012.

The UK has already succeeded in securing the right to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games, the 2014 Ryder Cup and the 2015 Rugby Union World Cup.

If successful, it will be only the second time that both the men's and women's hockey World Cups have been held together.

As the first formal bid for an event at the future Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park following the 2012 Olympics, the World Cups would provide a unique opportunity for London to launch the new Lee Valley Hockey Centre legacy facility at Eton Manor, it is claimed.

Lee Valley Hockey Centre's standard 3,000 seat capacity would be expanded to hold 10,000 spectators with two world -lass pitches and dedicated media facilities, a supporters village and event management offices.

The 14-day event would comprise of 600 players and team management from approximately 18 different nations, which could create a total economic benefit - including visitor expenditure - up to £10 million ($16 million).

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