FIH disappointed at Lithuania's withdrawal

CHENNAI, OCT. 4.The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has expressed disappointment at Lithuania's withdrawal on Sunday from the women's World Cup qualifier in Amiens/Abbeville.

With its match on Saturday drawn against Ireland after extra- time, a very unfortunate mistake was made by the FIH technical officers regarding the order in which penalty strokes were taken. After the first series of strokes, the teams were level. It was at this point that the mistake was made. Lithuania then won the second series of penalty strokes but Ireland lodged a formal protest. The FIH Tournament Director (TD), Mrs. Claire

Peeters-Monseu (BEL) upheld the protest and ruled that the second series of penalty strokes be held again at 10 a.m. the following morning. Lithuania did not accept the TD's ruling and did not contest the replay of the second series of penalty strokes.

According to FIH tournament regulations any team that refuses to complete a match shall be considered as withdrawing at that stage and losing the match in question. Thus, Lithuania was not permitted to take any further part in the tournament. The place that this team would have occupied in the final ranking of the tournament remains vacant and therefore is not attributed to any other team taking part.

Peter Cohen, FIH Honorary Secretary General, commented, ``whilst I can understand their frustration, in refusing to accept the decision. Lithuania rejected two remaining opportunities to qualify for the women's World Cup, one by contesting the replay of the penalty strokes, which they may well have won and, if they had lost, by playing off for seventh position against India. Although the FIH regrets the error made concerning the order of the penalty strokes, when a protest is lodged the decision of the Tournament Director is final and must be accepted by the teams involved.

Final conclusions will be drawn by FIH, on receipt of the TD's official report from the tournament. The 10th women's World Cup will take place in Perth, Australia from Nov. 25 to Dec. 8, 2002.

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