New Indian Express: Hockey 5s May Be Included in Olympics

RAIPUR: If the president of the International Hockey Federation (FIH), Leandro Negre, has his way, there could be two versions of the sport in future Olympics.

The traditional format – 11-a-side hockey — has enjoyed an unhindered presence at all Summer Games since 1928 but a chance meeting with International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach might pave the way for Hockey 5s in the distant future.

“When Bach saw Hockey 5s at Youth Olympics in Nanjing, he loved the concept and asked me whether it was possible to have this rather than traditional form at the Summer Games,” Negre told the media at the Sardar Vallabhai Patel Stadium.

Negre, who did not like doing away with traditional form, suggested an alternative. “I said ‘how about we have both’?”

While Negre did not reveal how that conversation ended, there is some credibility over Bach liking Hockey 5s. The Summer Olympics, for sometime, have wanted to reduce costs and make sport entertaining. And onus is on football and hockey to make it as short and sweet as possible.