Hockey India congratulates CEO Ms Elena Norman on winning the 'Business Woman of the Year Award' at IABCA 2019

New Delhi, 11 October 2019: Hockey India on Friday congratulated CEO Ms Elena Norman on winning the Business Woman of the Year Award at the India Australia Business & Community Awards (IABCA) 2019 which is supported by Trade & Investment Queensland. Ms Norman was honored with the prestigious Award in Brisbane at the IABCA Gala on Friday evening. In July 2019, she had been announced as a Finalist in two categories - Business Woman of the Year Award and Spirit of Sport Award.

Ms Norman was given the Awards for her contribution as the Chief Executive Officer of Hockey India through which she has had an outstanding impact on the development and promotion of hockey within the country and beyond. She was announced as the awardee at the IABCA Gala of the India Australia Business & Community Awards 2019 which was held on Friday, 11th October 2019 in Brisbane, Queensland.

IABCA is a highly regarded award among the Indian and Australian population working towards the betterment of business and community in both the countries. The 2019 edition of the awards received over 300 entries across the twelve categories over eight weeks, and a panel of experts selected suitable candidates as the finalists in each category, which also saw Ms Norman get selected as finalist in two categories earlier this year.

Ms Norman has worked in the Indian sports industry for more than a decade, and prior to joining Hockey India, she served as the COO with a Sports Marketing agency in New Delhi. Her expertise, along with her dedication towards the growth, development and betterment of Indian Hockey has seen the Men's and Women's National Teams improve tremendously over the past decade. During her term as the CEO of Hockey India, the Indian Women Hockey team qualified for the Olympic Games after 36 years when they took part in the 2016 Rio Olympics and climbed to No. 9 in FIH Rankings, the Junior Men's Hockey Team won the Junior Hockey World Cup 2016, the Indian Men's Hockey team improved their ranking to No. 5 in the FIH Rankings by virtue of winning various international tournaments around the world, along with the successful organizing of various prestigious international events such as the Odisha Hockey Men's World Cup held in Bhubaneswar last year.

Congratulating Ms Norman on the occasion, Mohd Mushtaque Ahmad, President, Hockey India said, "On behalf of Hockey India and its staff, I would like to congratulate our CEO Ms Elena Norman, on receiving the prestigious Business Woman of the Year Award at the India Australia Business & Community Awards 2019 (IABCA). Over the years, her contribution to the sport has been immense which has seen Hockey India truly embrace the Hockey Revolution. Her efforts and utmost dedication as the CEO towards the sport has benefited its athletes, coaches, officials and the backroom staff, and I hope that she continues to keep working for the development of the sport."