The global governing body of the sport of field hockey, FIH, is known for introducing something on great wisdom and later discarding it with even greater wisdom. We have seen this trait rearing its ugly head many times in the past, and in its wake killing the sport it seeks to govern in some part of the world.
This time the FIH introduced a ranking system according to which India is the first reserve country for the Auckland Qualifier despite the fact they are the both Commonwealth Games and Afro-Asian Games champions. Today at Major Dhyan Chand Stadium in New Delhi they made mockery of FIH rankings, defeating Champions Challenge bronze medallist Japan in the Asia Cup final. Indian women have thus won three of the four tournaments they played in the last two years, yet not considered enough for the even qualifying for the Olympic Qualifier. Because, two years ago they lost a World Cup Play off and thus not made it to the World Cup! And suffer for it till the next Olympics!!
In 2001, the FIH introduced with great wisdom a two-tier format for World Cup qualifiers and the World Cup proper. We came across a horror called Preliminary Round and Championship Round. That was how the hosts of the 2001 World Cup Qualifier, Scotland, was shut out from the competition barely after three matches and yet asked to play six more matches. Without home interest they had to perforce continue the rigmore of conducting the event too. With a just a goal difference not in their favour, Indian girls were out of reckoning at Buenos Aires in the Junior World Cup. It hardly mattered two of its members were fit enough for nomination to FIH Young Player Award that year. India won all the six matches, which were of no use as only the first matches counted.
That the FIH Secretary General’s own country refused to follow the format it devised for others, for the Perth World Cup is the pointer to the fact how much these policy makers are confident of their own conviction (Jr. Men’s World Cup was played on the now defunct format). As a rebuff to FIH’s ‘innovation’, the Asian Hockey Federation president’s country refused to follow the illogical format when it hosted the men’s World Cup at Kuala Lumpur. Thus it has set the earth for unceremonious burial of the FIH’s brain child.
Nitty-kitty of the ranking system does not merit a look at it except the fact that the yardstick counted therein is the performance of the last World Cup. How on earth the form or lack of it of teams in the run up to the World Cup and in the World Cup proper should cast a spell adversely in the ranking of teams for the next two years? More so when the defending champion of the World Cup is not even considered — rightly of course — for the next World Cup.
The moot point is, do the performance of tournaments after the World cup not count at all? it is debatable why some tournaments accrue less points while other the maximum. Based on the performance of the World Cup, the Champions Trophy field was decided. Based on the performance of the World Cup, the field for the Champions Challenge Cup was decided. What about the others not in the World Cup, and fared badly in the World Cup? Don’t you see only a handful of teams are cycled and recycled in all these competitions while most others are deprieved of a level playing field?
The FIH, as per its charter, being the global in character, cannot say we don’t consider this tournament or that tournament for the ranking system and, why to say only the tournaments they organize is more important than others? This is a wrong policy. Their ranking system at present in vougue should be discarded at least on the ground that no major decision should come into effect before the Olympics. As major changes in the rule of the game are introduced after the Olympics, not before it, this ranking system that came before the Olympics deserve to be put in the dust bin.
Even now I feel the FIH should think of calling India for the Olympics qualifier, asking them to bear the extra expenses. Keeping India’s history in women hockey – first Asian women federation admitted into the FIH fold — the FIH should enlarge the Auckland Olympic Qualifier field into twelve. Same way once the Champions Trophy field was sought to expand for 7 teams to take Pakistan in keeping its contribution to the concept of Champions Trophy. I am advocating this which even the Indian Women Hockey Federation did not think of. They can be excused because they are ignorant of world scenario, selfish and are content of getting some individual posts. They never fought for the country’s honour.
Note:Other articles on the Asia Cup series to appear in the website include, Where is the Asia Cup?, How not to Popularise Sport and How an inexperienced Tournament Director made mess of everything in Delhi.