Indian eves assured of Commonwealth Games spot

CHENNAI, AUG. 7. While the participation of the Indian men's team remains uncertain, the women have ensured a place in the hockey discipline for the next Commonwealth Games at Manchester. India comes into the eight-nation competition on the strength of being the fourth-highest ranked team - next to South Korea, China and Japan - in the Asian Zone.

The participating nations for the Commonwealth Games were identified based on the criteria framed by the International Hockey Federation at Manchester last week.

Australia takes the top spot as the defending champion in the previous edition at Kuala Lumpur in 1998, while England comes in as the host. The second European outfit within the Commonwealth will be Scotland, the fifth-highest ranked team in the European Cup after England.

As the champion of the Africa Cup, South Africa finds a place in the competition. Canada (America), Jamaica (the Caribbeans), and New Zealand (second-highest ranked team after Australia) make up the eight for the Games.

Meanwhile, the FIH announced that the format of the seventh men's Junior World Cup to be held at Hobart, Australia, from October 9 to 21 would remain as four pools of four teams, at the request of the host.

The Hobart organising committee declined FIH's offer to change to the new format of two pools of eight teams, taking into account the financial impact it will have due to the last minute change. The format would be the same as that of the fourth women's Junior World Cup, held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in May this year, with no change to the published schedule.

However, the FIH has acceded to the request of the Malaysian Hockey Association to conduct the 10th men's World Cup on the two-pool format, shifting from the earlier decision to host it in four pools of four teams each.

In a letter to the FIH, Linden Adamson, Chief Executive, Hockey Australia, explained the Hobart organising committee's decision: ``Hockey Australia is in favour of the two- pool format, but we felt obliged to give the organising committee the option of change. Balanced against the intangible revenue increase of gate receipts, including the Australian team's more certain schedule and an additional day of competition, are certain cost increases for re-printing promotional materials, security, rental, facilities for officials in addition to the difficulty in altering airline schedules for Hobart.''

Peter Cohen, Secretary General, FIH, commented, ``The FIH's decision to advance swiftly to the two-pool format has been greeted with widespread support from the teams, the national associations and the host organisers of our major tournaments. However, with the limited notice period available, we must consider the requirements of the organisers. Accordingly, we understand the Hobart organising committee's position and accept their request to retain the four-by-four format.''

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