Bangalore, June 1: The National Games hockey final had been advanced to June 9 in an effort to facilitate live coverage on Doordarshan. It was earlier slated for June 10.

However, the football final, too, is slated for June 10 and hence the hockey final was advanced by a day. Dr C N Muthaiah, technical advisor to the Games, said that even the pool matches would be telecast.

The men and women matches will begin on June 4 and six matches will be played everyday, two more than the four initially planned, according to the Karnataka State Hockey Association.

Meanwhile, most of the States have sent their junior teams for the women's competition.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.