Date:22/09/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/09/22/stories/2007092262302200.htm

Sport - Hockey

FIH announces Olympic qualifier pools

Hockey Correspondent

Chennai: The International Hockey Federation has officially announced the pools for the qualifier tournaments to be played between February and April to identify three teams from men and women who will make the final 12 for the Beijing Olympic Games next August.

The men have been placed in Pool C, to be played at Santiago (Chile) from March 1-9. The women have been placed in Pool C to be played at Kazan (Russia) from April 19-27.

The pools: Men: A (to be played at Kakamigahara, Japan, April 5-13): Germany, Japan, Malaysia, Poland, Czech and Switzerland.

B: (To be played at Auckland, New Zealand, February 1-9): Argentina, New Zealand, France, Ireland, Trinidad and Tobago and Cuba. C (to be played at Santiago, Chile, March 1-9): India, England, Egypt, Chile, Austria and Bangladesh. Women: A (to be played at Baku, Azerbaijan, April 12-20): Spain, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Kenya, Chile and Belarus. B (to be played at Vancouver, Canada, April 26-May 4): South Korea, Ireland, Italy, Canada, Malaysia, and Cuba. C (to be played at Kazan, Russia, April 19-27): USA, India, Netherlands Antilles, Russia, Belgium and Chinese Taipei.