Hockey Update: Former Olympian Shahnaz Sheikh flays over FIH
Former Olympian and legendary player of Pakistan’s hockey team, Shahnaz Sheikh blasted over the International Hockey Federation for its inadequate deportments towards the Asian’s hockey playing countries in allotments of direct berths for the 2012 London
Olympics and the World Cup 2014.
International Hockey Federation last month awarded three automatic slots to Europe of which one is fixed for every continental winner, while the other two will be awarded to next ranking teams through extra quota, which dispersed annoyance among the Asian
players.
As per the new rules of the FIH, three automatic berths allotted to European countries for the 2012 London Games, while only one place is fixed for Asia. Pakistan has been achieved the direct slot in the London Gala after clinching gold medal in the 16th
Asian Games.
The former Olympian stressed the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) to gear it up and raise a firm voice against International Hockey Federation (FIH) in this regard.
Shahnaz Sheikh in an astonishing state said that on what basis top three squads of Europe acquired automatic qualifications in the upcoming mega events, while the entire Asia has only one place.
Shahnaz stated that the International Hockey Federation (FIH) allotted an extra berth to Oceania the tiny region where two teams would directly qualify for the Olympics and the World Cup. In Oceania, Australia and New Zealand are strong teams and confirmed
for the mega events as remaining Samoa, Fiji and other small countries have not potential to compete for international tournaments.
Some nine countries according to the new rules will get direct slots in the mega tournaments the World Cup and the Olympics. Out of nine, five countries will be winner of their respective regional tournaments while Europe received two extra seats besides
one extra seat of Oceania. One automatic seat is confirmed for the host country. Asia has no extra allocation in the mega events except winner of the Asian Games.
Moreover, the remaining three squads for mega events will be selected through three qualifiers and only winning teams will get a place in the international tournaments.
In the last Olympics, held in China in 2008, Pakistan luckily got a direct berth in the tournament. There were two automatic slots for Asia of which finalists of Asian Games China and South Korea were selected. However, China was the host country thus Pakistan
the bronze medallist had acquired the direct qualification in the tournament.
The former Olympian, who was best at his time, urged the International Hockey Federation (FIH) to finish the extra-quota system in order to maximise the numbers of teams in the qualifying rounds, which would surely up the level of the sport.
Shahnaz said, “By ending the extra quota, the FIH will have six seats which should be filled by allowing the winners and runners-up of each of the three qualifying rounds to enter the Olympics, instead of permitting only the winners to proceed. It will
boost many hockey-playing countries besides giving them an open chance to fight for the six spots instead of only three.”
The former player maintained that though the Greenshirts had achieved the automatic slot in the London Olympics by clinching gold in the Asiad, however, in future, such type of quota system could create problems for any country in the region.
Interestingly, he stated, out of ten teams which took part in the Asian Games, only one squad got direct berth in the London Olympics while on the other hand eight squads competed European Championship for three direct slots in the mega tournaments.
Eight teams of Europe will take part in the qualifiers for the London Olympics while only five squads of Asia will contest the qualifications rounds. Meanwhile, four teams of America and one squad of Africa will play the qualifiers.
Shahnaz was of the view that it was really unfair and Asian Hockey Federation should demand either to reinstate the one extra quota to Asia or completely end the quota system and all teams take part in the qualifiers.
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