The Olympic qualifiers for the Tokyo 2020 Hockey competition are due to get under way this weekend. Understandably there is much excitement and anticipation. Which nations will make the cut?
In amongst the excitement and anticipation there are some with concerns. The qualification process has already come under the microscope, with many National Association and coaches feeling that a similar process should not be followed again. That a fairer and more equitable system needs to be adopted.
The concern now at this late stage comes down to the appointment of the umpires for each match. The list of umpires for both the women’s and men’s qualifiers were announced a while ago and as far as we can ascertain no complaints were raised.
Asian Hockey teams playing the Olympic Qualifiers are India, Malaysia, South Korea and Pakistan in the Men’s competition. From Europe we have the Netherlands, Germany, Great Britain, Spain, France, Ireland, Austria and Russia. Canada and New Zealand make up the remaining teams.
Teams need to win on an aggregate score over two games in two days in the host country. The following nations will play host in the men’s qualifiers: Spain, Netherlands, Canada, India, New Zealand, Germany and Great Britain.
In the women’s qualifiers India, China and South Korea fly the flag for Asia. From Europe we have Germany, Great Britain, Spain, Ireland, Belgium Italy and Russia. With Australia, Canada, USA and Chile making up the other nations participating.
Australia, China, Spain, India, Germany, Great Britain and Ireland are all hosting the Women’s double headers.
Where concerns have been raised is if European umpires are appointed to umpire matches being hosted in Europe, and involving fellow European nations. On the surface this may appear to be nothing to get upset about. Yet from an Asian perspective one can understand the concern.
The Europeans especially, and some other nations such as Australia and New Zealand favour a physical game. A game that limits the close-skilled game of the slighter, smaller Asian sides. Umpires from these regions may therefore be more lenient when it comes to the physical challenges as they are used to both sides playing this style.
To be fair at the recent Sultan of Johor Cup in Malaysia, an under 21 competition where the physical size difference can be accentuated, the umpires concerned handled this aspect superbly. Even the “diving” of the smaller Asian players to try and win a free hit, was managed superbly.
There is however a feeling that in a match between two European nations such as the game between Spain and France, and Germany and Austria it may be fine to have neutral umpires from other European nations, but is it fair in a match between Europeans and other continental federations?
For example for the Men’s games between the Netherlands and Pakistan and Great Britain and Malaysia, should not the Umpires be selected from confederations not participating? So should umpires from Oceania, The Americas or Africa take charge of such games? For New Zealand v South Korea the umpires should be from Europe, the Americas or Africa. Another example would be the match between New Zealand men and South Korea. This match should not be officiated by umpires from Oceania or Asia, but from other Confederations.
Of course the argument against such an appointment system will be the cost of flying officials from one corner of the world to another. Yet as we saw such travel costs being met in the FIH Pro League, a competition for a limited number of teams from the top ten in the world, this argument suddenly carries no weight. Especially as the Olympic Games are the pinnacle for all participating nations.
Surely if the sport is to develop umpires from around the world this is the time to show faith in those from each confederation.
If the qualifiers for the sport’s most prestigious tournament are to be fair to all, neutrality should be an essential part. It is therefore understandable that there are concerns should umpires be appointed from the same confederation as one of the nations playing.
