Martin Gotheridge receives the Order of Merit from FIH outgoing President Leandro Negre in Dubai last week
Beeston Hockey Club Vice-President, Martin Gotheridge, was awarded the Order of Merit by the International Hockey Federation at a dinner held during the FIH Congress in Dubai in November 2016.
Order of Merit is the FIH’s highest individual honour. The award was given to Martin for all of his work for hockey. The dinner was held at the Amani Hotel, in the shadow of Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building.
Martin started his career in hockey administration as Secretary of West Bridgford HC in 1965, through Nottinghamshire County Hockey Association, the Midland League, First President of the combined Midland Regional Hockey Association, President of England Hockey and finally the President of the European Hockey Federation (2008-2011). He was also a member of the FIH Executive Board. At both the Olympic Games in London in 2012 & in Rio in 2016 where he was a member of the Jury of Appeal.
Martin’s impressive career in hockey is below:-
1965-72 – Hon. Secretary, West Bridgford Hockey Club
1972-80 – Hon. Secretary, Notts County Hockey Association
1973-date – Member, Midland League Committee (Chairman from 1989)
1981-90 – Chairman, Hockey Association Competitions Committee (including the period when Mens National League was first instituted)
1990-2003 – Hon. Secretary, European Hockey Federation Competitions Committee. (Chairman from 1997)
1993-2003 – Elected member of the Executive Board of European Hockey Federation
1999- 2009 – Member, Competitions Committee, International Hockey Federation (FIH)
2000- 03 – First President of the new Midlands Region Hockey Association in England (on the combining of the Men’s and Women’s game)
2002 – Led the group of representatives of the Regions and counties who established and incorporated England Hockey Ltd as the new NGB, to replace the defunct E.H.A.
2002 – 2005 – Chairman of the Regions Consultative Committee of England Hockey
2003 – 2008 – Vice President, European Hockey Federation.
2005 – 2008 – Hon. Secretary, FIH Judicial Commission.
2005 – 2009 – President of England Hockey
2008 -2011 – President, European Hockey Federation (and a member of the Executive Board of the International Hockey Federation)
2012 – Olympics London – Jury of Appeal
2016 – Olympics Rio – Jury of Appeal
To date Constitutional & legal advice to FIH and Beeston Hockey Club
