29.2.2004: Prospects and projections apart, Madrid Olympic Qualifier throws some interesting things. Further, the composition of Pool ‘A’ provides some coincidences. As three Asian teams — Pakistan, India, Malaysia — Canada, Belgium and New Zealand form this pool, one cannot but tempt to look at what had transpired between majority of these teams in the previous Olympic Qualifiers.

One striking similarity is too obvious to miss – how many teams will qualify?

When 12 teams assembled at Osaka four years ago, the question in everybody’s mind was, how many teams would qualify for the Sydney Olympics. Though official figure was six, Olympic Committee of South Africa’s refusal to clear Men’s team, which ultimately came true, gave the seventh place match a critical status. Unfortunately, the hosts Japan, who lost couple of matches very closely, lost that last match too, again by narrow margin. Argentina walked away with a 1-0 win to obtain 7th place much to the disappointment of the hosts. Two months later, Argentina made it to the Sydney summit when OCSA finally slammed the doors for its men’s team.

History is on the verge of repetition here at Madrid too. Greece has gone to Court for Arbitration of Sports – that was last ditch attempt of the dejected South Africa Hockey Association last time — staking their rightful claim to be in the Olympics as hosts. Prospects of Hellenic Hockey Association getting a favourable verdict seem dim, that too after they participated in the play-off against Canada.

Now remember Barcelona Olympic Qualifier, when India last played in the OQ. As the Asian Games champions, India directly qualified for Sydney and thus was not in Osaka. India, Malaysia and ethnic Indian-rich Canada faced a moral dilemma at Barcelona when the first mentioned two countries played a goal-less draw in the last pool match. This infuriated the Canadians. The situation was like this. Malaysia needed a draw to qualify. Had India defeated Malaysia, Canada would have made it to the Olympics, obviously at the cost of Malaysia.

Canada sensed ‘Match Fixing’ and duly lodged a protest with the FIH. Now it was FIH’s turn to face dilemma. For, the Disciplinary Committee Chairman, who is empowered to arbitrate in such matters, happened to be HRH Sultan Azlan Shah, a citizen from one of the accused parties. Azlan Shah bowed out majestically, paving way for Peter Cohen to arbitrate. India’s lawyer KTS Tulsi blew away the case ultimately, but the scars remained for many years.

The rumour mill had it then that the Indians are `paying back’ their gratefulness to Malaysia. That is, had not Malaysia defeated Belgium in its last pool match at Auckland when the FIH introduced the OQ tournament in 1991, India would have been out of the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Luckily on that day Malaysia, which had already made it to the semis and thus ensured its Olympic berth, took the match seriously and defeated Belgium much to the delight of the Indians.

It is interesting to observe, as the events unfolded now, all these parties – India, Malaysia, Belgium and Canada —- are in the same pool.

If you need some more coincidences/anectodes, consider these. Spain’s livewire forward Juan Escarre did not play the Osaka OQ because of injury. So also now. Russal Garcia, now recalled for GB’s duty could not figure in Osaka as he was serving a 3-month ban for drug use.