The EHB confirmed today (follow link to EHB item) that after consulting with the FIH, the facial protection mask as shown below (which is, I believe is the OBO FaceOff Mk2 – admin), does not meet the requirement of the Rules of Hockey that: “field players … are permitted to wear a smooth preferably transparent or white but otherwise single coloured face mask which closely fits the face when defending a penalty corner.”
This mask does not “closely fit the face” and is not “smooth”.
Further, the FIH Medical Committee is of the view that the mask poses a potential risk to an opponent in a collision. It does not therefore meet the further requirement in the Rules that “players must not wear anything which is dangerous to other players”.
All players, team managers, technical officials and umpires are advised of this ban as of today Friday 18th February 2011.
It should be noted that this ban applies across all hockey, senior, junior, outdoor and indoor.