The Hindu : No automatic qualification for champion

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Mar 01, 2002

Sport

Sport - Hockey

No automatic qualification for champion
By Our Hockey Correspondent

KUALA LUMPUR, FEB. 28. The defending champion is not likely to be an automatic qualifier for the Olympics. This line of thinking was indicated by Ms. Els van Breda Vriesman, president International Hockey Federation, on Thursday.

Holland 1 -- Spain 1
New Zealand 2 -- S. Africa 1
Argentina 2 -- Pakistan 1
Germany 3 -- Belgium 0

Talking to the media on a host of issues, the FIH chief dwelt at length on the subject of qualifiers both for the next World Cup and Olympics. However, she added that the major decisions in this regard would be taken only after the meeting of the Executive Board here.

Admitting that the 4x4 format still evoked discussion in certain fora, she said that the FIH had already decided to limit the number of teams to 12 for the next World Cup. The FIH was also debating whether to allow the winner of this edition as an automatic qualifier. She was, however, uncertain what method the FIH would adopt for the rest of the qualifiers. Everything, she said, was at a discussion stage, and a final picture would be available after the Board meets in Lausanne in July.

Ms. Els said for the Olympics, the host country would be the automatic qualifier, subject to the member being fairly well up in hockey. With particular reference to Greece, where hockey is not a major sport, Ms. Els explained that the FIH would do everything possible to ensure the host unit acquired a measure of skill to be an able participant. Conceding that ``it was a special situation'' with regard to Greece, the FIH she added would be fully guided by the International Olympic Committee.

Asked about the hockey infrastructure at Athens, Ms. Els said, it was part of a larger question of facilities to all disciplines being delayed by one factor or the other. But she was optimistic of the pitches being in place by the time the Games started.

About the next World Cup in 2006, Ms. Els said Germany, Spain, Australia, Australia, United States and England have offered to stage it and the FIH would finalise the venue by November this year.

Ms. Els reiterated that personally she was against any major rule changes for sometime but added that the matter was out of her purview and lay within the Rules Board only. She said the FIH was making its best efforts to have a worldwide sponsor, and was happy that media was playing a very constructive role in this endeavour.

The FIH President released a book, Castrol-Hockey Year Book-2002 (first international edition) compiled by an Indian chronicler, K. Arumugam, at the end of the media conference.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport