France and Pakistan seal semi-final spots after goal fest at FIH Men’s Nations Cup Poland 2023/24

    5 June 2024 Lausanne, Switzerland – France and Pakistan joined New Zealand in the semi-finals of the FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup Poland 2023/24 after playing out a 11-goal thriller. Pool B saw France finish first, followed by Pakistan. Malaysia finished third after defeating Canada in the first game of the day. Pakistan 5-6 France  France topped Pool B with a third straight win, beating Pakistan 5-6 in a nail-biter. The Olympic hosts turned on the heat from the word go and came prepared to exploit the weaknesses in Pakistan’s backline. It was Victor Charlet who broke the deadlock in the seventh minute. With a minute to go for the first quarter, Eliot Curty found Blaise Rogeau, who sent a rocket that bounced off the bar for their second. There was no coordination at the back as Gaspard Baumgarten made it 0-3 with seven minutes to go in the first half. Two minutes later, Charlet got his second through another penalty corner. For all their defensive frailties, Pakistan has been one of the most exciting teams to watch while attacking. One such attempt in the 26th minute led to a penalty stroke that was converted with ease by Abu Mahmood. Suddenly, the French were not as organised as they were before, allowing Pakistan to get under their skin. A penalty corner in the 29th minute saw Sufyan Khan’s initial shot saved only for Murtaza Yaqoob to score the rebound. The third quarter was all France again as Charlet delivered from the penalty corner yet again with an emphatic finish for his hat-trick in the 39th minute. Pakistan responded in the first minute of the final quarter thanks to Ashraf Rana Waheed who finished a superb ball from Amad Butt, who found him from a long way out. Pakistan continued to threaten Les Bleus and Butt was sensational in the build-up for the fourth, as Rehman Abdul made it 4-5 in the 52nd minute. Pakistan were all over France and a penalty corner in the 56th minute made it 5-5 as Hannan Shahid reacted quickly after Mahmood’s initial shot was saved. Everyone believed the comeback was complete, but Pakistan switched off and Charlet, who started the scoring, finished it with another penalty corner. Victor Charlet of France was full of praise for Pakistan after winning the match and said: “It’s hard to describe this game – lots of goals. Against a huge hockey nation like Pakistan, you have to be good as they have many great players. You have to be focused and defend well as they are skilful. It’s not our best game but we are happy with the win.” Malaysia 4-2 Canada Malaysia got their first win of the Pool phase as they beat Canada 4-2 in Gniezno. They quickly set the tone for the game, scoring a field goal thanks to Fitri Saari smashing one in from the centre of the circle in the second minute. The second goal came four minutes later when Faizal Saari made a good run down the left before squaring it for Abu Kamal Azrai, who lost balance and fell as he fired in. A simple and beautiful penalty corner technique from Syed Cholan gave the Speedy Tigers their third goal in the 22nd minute. Canada started showing their aggressive side in the second half and were rewarded in the 41st minute when Rooopkanwar Dhillon’s powerful penalty corner snuck in. But the celebrations were short-lived as Muhajir Abdu Rauf’s shot was deflected off an unlucky Thomson Harris. For all their efforts, the Malaysians couldn’t keep a cool head and disciplinary issues almost cost them. Maansarovar Sidhu came up with a clever finish in the 51st minute to take advantage as Faris Harizan got a 10-minute yellow card towards the end of the third quarter. In the end,  Malaysians came up with the goods to see off the game. Marhan Jalil of Malaysia won the player of the match and said: “We had good motivation to play today. We started well and only scored one penalty corner. We will study our videos to increase the percentage of our conversion.” To see the current standings in the FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup, click here. FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup  – 5 June 2024  Hockey Stadium – Gniezno, (POL) Result: Match 13 (M) Malaysia 4-2 Canada Player of the match: Marhan Jalil Umpires: Titus Ngolia (KEN), Tim Bond (NZL), Munashe Mashoko (ZIM-video) Result: Match 14 (M) Pakistan 5-6 France Player of the match: Victor Charlet Umpires: Erik Etsebeth (RSA),  Harry Collinson (ENG), Michael Dutrieux (BEL-video) #FIHNationsCup #HockeyInvites #HockeyEquals Keep up to date with all the latest news on the FIH Hockey Pro League via the Watch.Hockey app, event website and through FIH social media channels – Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Source: FIH.hockey

    France to face New Zealand as Spain pitted against Ireland in FIH Nations Cup final

      08 Jun, 2024 France secured a ticket to the final of FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup Poland 2023-24 with a last-minute winner against South Africa in the semi-finals. They will play New Zealand for the top prize after the Black Sticks edged Pakistan. The FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup Spain 2023-24 final will see a rematch of the tournament opener featuring the hosts and Ireland. Spain beat Chile while Ireland got the better of New Zealand in the semi-finals. Classification matches saw both Canadian teams win in shootout. They will be joined by the Korean men’s team and the Japanese women’s team in the fifth-place matches. (Men’s) Austria 1-1 Canada (SO:1-3)  Canada shocked Austria in the shootout to qualify for the fifth-place match after the game finished 1-1 in normal time. After conceding early goals in their previous games, the Canadians started slow, focusing on defence. However, it wasn’t that both teams didn’t create chances. Canada had their best 30 minutes since arriving in Gniezno but the score remained 0-0 after the first half. The Red Caribou opened the scoring in the end as Hudson Loh made a great run into the circle before a spectacular finish in the 38th minute for his first international goal. The Canadians were controlling the game better but with six minutes remaining, a penalty corner saw Florian Hackl equalise. The shootout saw Loh score the all-important goal along with Brendan Guraliuk and Roopkanwar Dhillon. Fabian Unterkircher scored the only goal for the Austrians. Hudson Loh of Canada, who was named player of the match, was pleased with his first goal and said: “First international goal. It is super exciting and we got a good result. It’s good to get a win. To get a win against a team ranked above us is spectacular.” (Men’s) Malaysia 3-4 Korea  Korean captain Jaehyeon Kim stole the show as they beat Malaysia 3-4 in a seven-goal thriller in Gniezno. The first quarter saw plenty of chances as two pacy sides went about their business but the scoreline remained 0-0. Fortunately, that was not a sign of things to come. The second quarter saw four goals starting with the Malaysians. Aiman Rozemi stole the ball from midfield and ran from the left before crossing towards Faizal Saari. The pass was blocked but the rebound fell kindly as the duo combined for Saari to tap in. Sung Yeob Kim made it 1-1 from a penalty corner before the Koreans took the lead through Inwoo Seo, who slid in at the far post to meet a Sunghyun Kim pass. The match became end-to-end as Saari got his and Malaysia’s second in the final minute of the first half. The goals were coming thick fast with Malaysia going ahead as Marhan Jalil squared one for Abu Kamal Azrai to tap in from a penalty corner in the 35th minute. Three minutes later, Dohyun Lim made it 3-3. Junking Rim put the Koreans in front, reacting smartly from a penalty corner in the 47th minute. However, the hero of the day was goalkeeper Jaehyeon Kim, who produced a brilliant penalty stroke save among other brilliant moments. Jaehyeon Kim acknowledged that it was a tough outing after winning player of the match and said: “Our boys had good speed and good performance. The penalty corners had some good finishes. The win is important because of world ranking points. I am so happy.” (Men’s) France 2-1 South Africa  France broke South African hearts at the very end to reach the final of the FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup in Poland. It took almost until the end of the first quarter to see France in full swing, creating some chances. The second quarter saw them step it up, winning a penalty corner in the 16th minute. However, it did not work in their favour and a quick and devastating counterattack involving Tevin Kok and Nqobile Ntuli ended with the latter scoring at the other end. The Olympic hosts continued to apply pressure but were not able to break a sturdy South African backline. The best chance for Les Bleus came when Timothée Clément took advantage of a rare defensive error from their opponents only to fire inches wide. After many attempts, a goal came out of nowhere when Gaspard Baumgarten deflected a pass that travelled with venom. The momentum from the goal meant that South Africa had to give it all as the French attacked. A flurry of penalty corners in the last minute of the game saw Victor Charlet find the gap in style. Gaspard Xavier from France was awarded player of the match and said: “It was a very good performance from the team. We came back from 1-0 down. It’s a great victory. It’s good preparation for Paris (Olympics). But we have the final before that.“ (Men’s) New Zealand 2-1 Pakistan  New Zealand will face France in the final of the FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup after edging Pakistan 2-1 in the semi-final. New Zealand came into the game with a strategy, and it took only two minutes for the Black Sticks to go in front as Kane Russell fired an unstoppable penalty corner in. The confidence from the early goal meant that New Zealand was dictating the tempo. They got their second with four minutes remaining in the first quarter. Hugo Inglis did brilliantly on the right and found Jake Smith, who provided a sliding finish on the other side. Pakistan’s attacking flair has been a talking point of the tournament. However, they were not able to find that extra gear to score a goal in the first three quarters. Credit to New Zealand’s defenders, who had the discipline to find a solution for every problem that was thrown their way. The Green Shirts, however, managed to find a way as a lovely team move was finished by Ashraf Rana Waheed with five minutes remaining. But it wasn’t meant to be for Pakistan, who will now play in the third-place match

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      Chile shocker for Japan as Poles crash out at home after pool phase concludes

        06 Jun, 2024 Chile showcased exuberant celebrations as they beat Olympic-bound Japan to secure their first semi-final appearance at the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup Spain 2023/24. Joining them in the last four are New Zealand, who got the better of Canada and Ireland, who dominated Korea. Having already qualified, Spain won their final game against Italy to top Pool A. In the FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup Poland 2023/24, South Africa beat Korea and benefited as Poland lost to Austria. (Women’s) New Zealand 2-0 Canada  New Zealand registered a 2-0 win against Canada in their last Pool B fixture in Terrassa to qualify for the semi-finals. Four minutes is all it took for them to assert their dominance as Megan Hull’s penalty corner hit the stick of Alexis De Armond before sneaking in. The Black Sticks had better possession and control of the game, and it was down to Canadian goalkeeper Rowan Harris and the defenders to maintain the scoreline in the first half. While it was a slower start to the second half, New Zealand got the all-important second goal when Jessie Anderson served it on a plate for Hannah Cotter to finish. Olivia Shannon of New Zealand, who won player of the match, felt they could have scored more and said: “We had to score goals, and we had to go out there and press hard. We are disappointed that we couldn’t get those opportunities in the back of the net. We can charge on and got the semi-finals coming up and move on to the next game.” (Women’s) Chile 2-1 Japan  Chile reached the last four of the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup after a narrow 2-1 win over Japan, improving from their seventh-place finish in the inaugural edition. It was a cautious start to the game from both sides in the first quarter, unlike their usual attacking style. The Chileans stepped it up in the next 15, with Paula Valdivia troubling the Japanese defenders. She won a penalty corner in the 21st minute and the routine resulted in a penalty stroke being awarded. Fernanda Arrieta sent the keeper the wrong way to start the scoring. A minute later, Las Diablas won another penalty corner and an unusual technique saw Denise Rojas Losada’s shot saved but Josefa Salas was the quickest to react for the rebound as Japan failed to clear their line. The second half saw a slight change of pace from Japan, who pegged one back when Kanon Mori dived to finish a pass from Saki Tanaka from the right. A flurry of penalty corners followed in the dying moments but spirited defending from Chile saw them secure a famous win. Domenica Ananias of Chile won player of the match for a sublime performance and said: “I am very proud of the team. It was a good strategy today. We lost against Japan in India. So I think this was a good match to do the things that we wanted to do.” (Women’s) Ireland 4-0 Korea Ireland finished the pool phase in style as they reached the semi-finals with a 4-0 win over Korea. There wasn’t much action early on despite Ireland creating a few chances and winning three penalty corners. The deadlock was finally broken in the 27th minute when Hannah McLoughlin slotted in perfectly from a penalty corner. They upped the tempo and got another penalty corner soon. This time, Elena Neill’s shot was deflected in by Sarah Hawkshaw to end the half. It would be unfair without mentioning Eunji Kim, who produced some spectacular saves for Kora. Ireland finally got their third as a defensive error from Seungae Park fell for Kathryn Mullan to smash it in. The fourth and final goal came courtesy of Roisin Upton’s penalty corner in the final minute. Irelan’s Kathryn Mullan was the player of the match and was full of praise for her teammates. She said: “The character and resilience in this amazing group of women is phenomenal. How we show up every day is how we got the result today. I am so proud of these women.” (Women’s) Spain 3-1 Italy Spain had an easy outing against Italy, beating them 3-1 to top Pool A. As expected, the hosts dominated the match but it took them 18 minutes to find the opener. Constanza Amundson got her first international goal after an interesting penalty corner routine that saw Lola Riera start the move and find Lucia Jimenez, who then passed it for Amundson to score a special goal. Having already qualified for the semi-finals, there wasn’t much pressure on the Spaniards but they weren’t taking it lightly. Five minutes later, Lola Riera made it 2-0 from another penalty corner. Laura Barrios put the result beyond doubt with a third penalty corner goal in the 38th minute.  However, a clean sheet continued to evade them as the Italians pulled one back through Maria Lunghi in the final minute. Laura Barrios won player of the match and said they are under no pressure as favourites. “Our objective was the semi-finals and we are happy that we did it with three wins.” (Men’s) South Africa 2-0 Korea  South Africa won 2-0 against Korea after a goalless first half in their final pool game in Poland. With Poland losing to Austria, they secured semi-finals thanks to better goal difference. Neither team had produced a meaningful attack halfway through the first quarter and the trend continued until the 15 minutes concluded. It looked like South Africa and Korea were prioritising defence, with the game desperate for something special to get going. Despite high stakes on offer for both sides, chances were few and far between as the first half concluded. However, two well-taken field goals in the third quarter helped South Africa take all three points. At first, it was captain Keenan Horne firing one in style to the top right corner in the 38th minute while Ryan Julius got the second with a bottom-left corner finish. South African

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        Tayyab Ikram: “Empowering National Associations and athletes is a must”

          06 Jun, 2024 Exactly a year ago at the Olympic House in Lausanne, FIH and its President, Tayyab Ikram, launched the International Hockey Federation’s first ever “Empowerment and Engagement” strategy, in attendance of IOC President Thomas Bach. The FIH President takes stock of the first twelve months of the implementation of this strategy aimed at boosting the global development of hockey.   President Ikram, why was it essential to launch this strategy? This strategy is both the outcome of a process and an initiative. The global status of hockey today shows that it is very diverse. And there are many “unasked” questions by our National Associations (NAs) that, thanks to my long experience in development, I am able to hear. NAs wanted to hear how relevant FIH is for them, and how relevant they are for FIH. So, based on my own analysis and on the feedback received from National Associations, I came to the conclusion that we absolutely had to come up with a plan that better serves today’s needs of ALL hockey stakeholders. In your numerous interactions with the National Associations, what are the main areas that they’ve identified where they need most support or guidance? They would like to get better facilities to play. We showcase international hockey being performed on top surfaces but what about the young kids of developing countries where there is sometimes no hockey pitch at all? Similarly, the question of hockey equipment comes regularly. How can they attract the young generation? Today, everything is around lifestyle. So, using second-hand equipment is no longer enough. A kid having a colourful stick in the hands feels like driving a luxury car! The world has changed completely, so we need to cope with the time.   Then, there is the question of how best to use the time spent playing hockey. Is it quality time? This is where FIH comes into play, helping NAs to grow the young generation both as athletes and individuals. In particular, by providing a pathway to competition as a motivation for young athletes. If they don’t end up playing a competition, then the process will be much slower. NAs are also looking to be more empowered, have resources to travel, safe and advanced teaching environment for children, guidance to provide roadmaps to their Sports Ministries and National Olympic Committees, and so on and so forth. FIH is committed to assist them! And what do athletes tell you when you meet them? It’s our duty to meet and listen to the athletes. They have a different perspective, and a very important and helpful one! Their opinions sometimes can matter more than the sports leaders’. They tell things in a direct and transparent way, outlining issues linked to the hockey schedule – some feel there is too much hockey for them, some feel they still need more opportunities to play -, coaching, officiating, the rules of hockey, etc …   We need to empower them, help them be not only hockey athletes but also strong individuals for society, educate them about their rights and how best they can use those, support them in their transition from hockey to the professional world, etc. In some countries, the only voice is the coach. This has to change, in order to provide a balance. How can bigger NAs support less privileged ones? That is my dream, in fact! It is happening a bit, but not that much … We need to tell the bigger NAs that this is also part of their social responsibility. We started some twinning projects in the past but it was no longer the focus in recent years and it’s now again on my agenda. For example, I was recently in Australia and Hockey Australia told me that they felt global hockey needs a stronger Pakistan. Following that, I had a really good meeting with Australia’s High Commissioner in Pakistan. The geographical parameter can play a role. For example, Australia and New Zealand supporting the Pacific Islands, some bigger NAs in Asia or Europe helping smaller ones on their continent by bringing athletes, coaches, umpires in their leagues, etc. So, this plan is in the pipeline, and a well-placed item of our Empowerment and Engagement strategy! Do you think Hockey5s can be a game-changer for the growth of our sport? I believe so! And I think we proved that with the first ever FIH Hockey5s World Cup in Oman in January. It never happens in hockey that you have 32 national teams, very diverse, in just one city, with six of them playing their first-ever FIH Hockey World Cup! That was of course a huge motivation for the smaller nations to be able to play against the likes of India or the Netherlands! Also, upon my initiative and as a sign of encouragement, teams not qualifying for the quarter finals still had a chance to compete for a trophy, namely the “Challenger Trophy”. That had a huge meaning, especially for emerging nations. Bridging the performance gap, opening up more accessibility for younger generations and developing nations, providing them with this kind of opportunities, all of that is already a game-changer. FIH events are being brought to new territories like Oman, Poland or Croatia. Does this also belong to the strategy? Absolutely! This is part of empowerment. And was never done by FIH before, although this clearly belongs to our primary mission to develop hockey in every corner of the world! Giving these NAs the experience to host professionally our top events and athletes – the feedback about the Olympic Qualifiers in Muscat was fantastic! – means that they can learn a lot. So, it’s a huge legacy! Source: FIH.hockey

          France and Pakistan seal semi-final spots after goal fest in Gniezno

            05 Jun, 2024 France and Pakistan joined New Zealand in the semi-finals of the FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup Poland 2023/24 after playing out a 11-goal thriller. Pool B saw Les Bleus finish first, followed by Pakistan. Malaysia finished third after defeating Canada in the first game of the day. Pakistan 5-6 France  France topped Pool B with a third straight win, beating Pakistan 5-6 in a nail-biter. The Olympic hosts turned on the heat from the word go and came prepared to exploit the weaknesses in Pakistan’s backline. It was Victor Charlet who broke the deadlock in the seventh minute. With a minute to go for the first quarter, Eliot Curty found Blaise Rogeau, who sent a rocket that bounced off the bar for their second. There was no coordination at the back as Gaspard Baumgarten made it 0-3 with seven minutes to go in the first half. Two minutes later, Charlet got his second through another penalty corner. For all their defensive frailties, Pakistan has been one of the most exciting teams to watch while attacking. One such attempt in the 26th minute led to a penalty stroke that was converted with ease by Abu Mahmood. Suddenly, the French were not as organised as they were before, allowing Pakistan to get under their skin. A penalty corner in the 29th minute saw Sufyan Khan’s initial shot saved only for Murtaza Yaqoob to score the rebound. The third quarter was all France again as Charlet delivered from the penalty corner yet again with an emphatic finish for his hat-trick in the 39th minute. Pakistan responded in the first minute of the final quarter thanks to Ashraf Rana Waheed who finished a superb ball from Amad Butt, who found him from a long way out. Pakistan continued to threaten Les Bleus and Butt was sensational in the build-up for the fourth, as Rehman Abdul made it 4-5 in the 52nd minute. Pakistan were all over France and a penalty corner in the 56th minute made it 5-5 as Hannan Shahid reacted quickly after Mahmood’s initial shot was saved. Everyone believed the comeback was complete, but Pakistan switched off and Charlet, who started the scoring, finished it with another penalty corner. Victor Charlet of France was full of praise for Pakistan after winning the match and said: “It’s hard to describe this game – lots of goals. Against a huge hockey nation like Pakistan, you have to be good as they have many great players. You have to be focused and defend well as they are skilful. It’s not our best game but we are happy with the win.” Malaysia 4-2 Canada Malaysia got their first win of the Pool phase as they beat Canada 4-2 in Gniezno. They quickly set the tone for the game, scoring a field goal thanks to Fitri Saari smashing one in from the centre of the circle in the second minute. The second goal came four minutes later when Faizal Saari made a good run down the left before squaring it for Abu Kamal Azrai, who lost balance and fell as he fired in. A simple and beautiful penalty corner technique from Syed Cholan gave the Speedy Tigers their third goal in the 22nd minute. Canada started showing their aggressive side in the second half and were rewarded in the 41st minute when Rooopkanwar Dhillon’s powerful penalty corner snuck in. But the celebrations were short-lived as Muhajir Abdu Rauf’s shot was deflected off an unlucky Thomson Harris. For all their efforts, the Malaysians couldn’t keep a cool head and disciplinary issues almost cost them. Maansarovar Sidhu came up with a clever finish in the 51st minute to take advantage as Faris Harizan got a 10-minute yellow card towards the end of the third quarter. In the end,  Malaysians came up with the goods to see off the game. Marhan Jalil of Malaysia won the player of the match and said: “We had good motivation to play today. We started well and only scored one penalty corner. We will study our videos to increase the percentage of our conversion.” To see the current standings in the FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup, click here. FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup  – 5 June 2024  Hockey Stadium – Gniezno, (POL) Result: Match 13 (M) Malaysia 4-2 Canada Player of the match: Marhan Jalil Umpires: Titus Ngolia (KEN), Tim Bond (NZL), Munashe Mashoko (ZIM-video) Result: Match 14 (M) Pakistan 5-6 France Player of the match: Victor Charlet Umpires: Erik Etsebeth (RSA),  Harry Collinson (ENG), Michael Dutrieux (BEL-video) Source: FIH.hockey

            Hockey’s determined journey towards reducing water consumption

              05 Jun, 2024 Today’s World Environment Day gives us the opportunity to update all our stakeholders on the steps that the International Hockey Federation (FIH) has done towards using water with more care than ever before. With water becoming scarcer and scarcer due to climate change and ever-growing human demand, using it wisely is an obligation we all have if we are to ensure its availability for future generations and protect the environment. FIH has fully recognised its responsibility and is acting. From when hockey started playing on synthetic turf fields in the late 1970s until today, the sport has preferred to play on wet turfs. Watering provides a fast, predictable, and consistent playing surface that allows the players to perform to their best ability. But even though turfs used today are much more water efficient than those used in the past, the volumes of water used are still significant, as are the infrastructure costs associated with irrigating a field. For many, this is increasingly out of step with society’s desire to live in a more sustainable way. This is why FIH launched its Dry Turf Initiative at its Congress in 2018. Today, working with the leading members of the FIH Quality Programme, we are seeing surfaces that have enhanced playing characteristics without the use of water. A year ago, FIH published its innovation standard for Dry (non-irrigated) Hockey Turfs, and today seven companies (see www.fih.hockey/dryturf for details) have developed surfaces that incorporate dry turf technology. As these new Dry Turf surfaces are being installed, FIH is working with the UK’s Loughborough University, the National hockey Associations and the turf manufacturers to collect player feedback on how they perceive these new surfaces to perform. Feedback to date is showing players can, and do, adapt to these new surfaces, but it is also noted that it is important that players have adequate opportunities to train and play on them before they are used at the highest levels of competition. Pleasingly, we are also seeing that the environmental benefits of playing on Dry Turf surfaces is being welcomed by many. We are finding that our strategy complements the sustainability policies of many that invest in hockey. FIH President Tayyab Ikram said: “FIH launched a global sustainability strategy for hockey in 2022. This commitment was then reinforced as a key part of the FIH Empowerment and Engagement strategy that we launched a year ago. As a concrete milestone of this strategy, we were proud to initiate a global and ambitious programme called “Give back to forest” consisting in planting thousands of trees all around the world. Reducing water consumption is another commitment of ours. Remarkable progress has been made in this regard in the last decade. For example, the consumption of water between the Rio 2016 and the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games has been reduced by 40%! And a further substantial reduction will take place at the Paris 2024 Olympics where, on top of that, the world’s first carbon-zero hockey turf (Poligras Paris GT Zero) will be used. We will spare no efforts to continue along this path.” Joining us on the journey to a more sustainable future, ball, stick and shoe manufacturers all have a role to play, and we are engaging with key manufacturers in each sector. Together, it is hoped that the transition from always playing top-level hockey on wet fields to using wet or dry surfaces can occur with minimal impact on the way the game is played. Source: FIH.hockey

              World’s first carbon zero hockey turf to be used at Paris 2024 Olympics

                Lausanne, Switzerland: Hockey at the Paris 2024 Olympics is set to be a thrilling showcase of skill, strategy, and athleticism, with the best teams from around the globe competing at the highest level. But the XXXIII Olympiad aims to leave a lasting legacy not just in sporting achievements but also in advancing environmental consciousness within the realm of global sporting events. The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has made a strict commitment to make hockey a globally sustainable sport and Paris 2024 will represent another step taken towards achieving that goal. The initial steps were taken with a steady reduction in water usage, showcased by the turf used at the Olympic Games in Tokyo requiring 39% less water for optimal performance than the turf used in Rio only four years earlier. At the Olympic Games Paris 2024, the boundaries will be pushed further, as hockey will be played on the innovative ‘Poligras Paris GT zero’ hockey turf, which is setting new standards for sustainability in sports surfaces. Developed by Sport Group and installed in Paris by Polytan, this advanced turf is the world’s first carbon-zero hockey turf, aligning with the Paris 2024 Games’ commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility. Carbon zero Poligras Paris GT zero is made from 80% sugarcane and manufactured using green electricity. The production process emphasizes low emissions and energy efficiency, ensuring that the turf’s lifecycle—from creation to disposal—adheres to the highest environmental standards. This eco-friendly turf doesn’t compromise on performance. Athletes can expect the same high-quality playability, ball speed, and consistency that Poligras surfaces are known for, which have been trusted at 8 Olympic Games and many World Cups. The Paris 2024 Olympics Hockey will aim to showcase that sustainability and top-tier athletic performance can go hand-in-hand. Moreover, ‘Poligras Paris GT zero’ is designed to conserve water. It requires significantly less irrigation than traditional synthetic turfs, aligning with global efforts to preserve water resources, particularly relevant as the world grapples with water scarcity issues. The introduction of Polytan’s ‘Poligras Paris GT zero’ at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 marks a significant advancement in sustainable hockey technology. By utilizing renewable resources and focusing on environmental impact, this new turf not only supports elite athletic performance but also sets a precedent for future hockey events to prioritize sustainability, which has long been an aim for the FIH. Poligras hockey turfs are available globally through Polytan in EMEA, Asia Pacific and Australasia, and AstroTurf in North and South America. #Paris2024 #HockeyEquals #HockeyInvites For more information about FIH and hockey in general, please download the Watch.Hockey app or follow the FIH social media channels – Facebook, Instagram and Twitter – and website.

                Namibia and South Africa seal FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup 2025 spots

                  Lausanne, Switzerland: The Indoor Africa Cup 2024 came to an end yesterday with Namibia men and South Africa women winning gold and securing their spot at the upcoming FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup 2025, which will be played in Poreč, Croatia from 3-9 February 2025. With two men’s and two women’s spots available from Africa for the world Cup, South Africa men and Namibia women also qualified for the upcoming premier indoor hockey competition by finishing as the silver medalists at the Indoor Africa Cup. In the men’s competition South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Botswana competed in the round-robin stage with each team facing the other three once. South Africa won all three matches in this stage to finish top of the standings, followed by hosts Namibia finishing second by winning their games against Zimbabwe and Botswana by comfortable margins. As the top-2 finishers, South Africa and Namibia headed straight to the final. By virtue of their top-2 finish, both teams also qualified for the FIH Men’s Indoor Hockey World Cup Croatia 2025. The two teams had produced a thriller in their round-robin match with South Africa winning out in a tense 5-4 encounter and  the finals produced more of the same. After a goalless first half, the match sprung into action with South Africa scoring two quick goals early in the third quarter. Namibia finished the quarter strongly though, scoring twice in the final two minutes to go level into the final quarter. South Africa pulled ahead in the final quarter, but once again Namibia had the answer as the regulation period ended with the two teams tied at 3-goals apiece, sending the title match into the shoot-outs. The teams matched each other through the first phase of the shoot-out, with both sides scoring twice and missing once, sending the contest into sudden-death. South Africa blinked first in the nervy moments, and Namibia sealed the win and the title with a 4-3 win in the shoot-outs to become the champions of Africa. In the women’s competition South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Botswana competed in the round-robin stage with each team facing the other three once. South Africa finished top of the table with 2 wins and a draw. Namibia had a similar record, but an inferior goal difference saw them finish second. In their head-to-head match up South Africa and Namibia drew the game 1-1 and with both teams headed to the final, a thrilling contest awaited. By virtue of their top-2 finish, both South Africa and Namibia had already qualified for the FIH Women’s Indoor Hockey World Cup Croatia 2025. The bragging rights in Africa were still up for grabs however, and the final did not disappoint. In a game of two halves, South Africa were phenomenal in the first, scoring three unanswered goals to take a 3-0 lead into the break. But Namibia came blazing back in the second half scoring 3 goals of their own to send the match into a shoot-out with the score tied at 3-3 at the end of regulation period. Both teams missed two attempts and scored one in the first phase of the shoot-out, and the game went into the sudden-death phase. South Africa scored their first attempt, while Namibia missed theirs, making South Africa the champions of indoor hockey in Africa! Jamie Southgate, captain of the South African women’s team, speaking on her team’s performance said: “We are so proud of the team’s performance. It’s a really happy moment to once again be the African champions and we are really looking forward to once again being in the Indoor Hockey World Cup.” #IHWC2025 #HockeyEquals #HockeyInvites For more information about FIH and hockey in general, please download the Watch.Hockey app or follow the FIH social media channels – Facebook, Instagram and Twitter – and website.

                  New Zealand reach semi-finals of FIH Men’s Nations Cup Poland 2023/24 as Spain shine again on home soil

                    4 June 2024 Lausanne, Switzerland – The Black Sticks made it four wins from four to end the pool phase in style while Spain outclassed Korea in the women’s tournament in Terrassa. New Zealand’s women’s team was involved in a highly entertaining fixture to take a crucial point against Japan while Chile and Ireland cruised past Canada and Italy, respectively. The other men’s game saw South Africa doing enough to pip Poland. (Women’s) Chile 3-0 Canada Chile got their first set of points in the bag in Spain with a 3-0 win over Canada. After a heartbreaking loss in their opener, the Chileans started the game against Canada with attacking intent, forcing goalkeeper Rowan Harris into action a few times. After three penalty corners, Las Diablas finally found the back of the net in the fourth attempt in the 20th minute. The shot from Josefa Salas found a way in through a crowded circle. To make matters worse, the Canadians gifted their opponents when Anna Mollenhauer failed to control a back pass. Manuela Urroz pounced and produced a cheeky assist for Maria Maldonado to tap in. While Chile dominated the game, it took them six more penalty corners to find the third goal. It came from Constanza Palma via a deflected shot in the 52nd minute. Manuela Urroz of Chile was judged player of the match and said: “We are happy with the win. We knew it was a good game. We know about Canada as we play them in America. We need to be tough against Japan next. We will watch our videos to see where we can improve.” (Women’s) Japan 2-2 New Zealand New Zealand came back from two goals down to draw against Japan in a Pool B fixture in Terrassa. It was a cautious start to the game from both sides. New Zealand had more penalty corners, circle entries, and possession in the first half but it was Japan that made their chances count. Four minutes into the second quarter, Kanon Mori squeezed in from a penalty corner. It was a dramatic goal that saw the first two shots from Yu Asai and Hazuki Nagai saved before the finish from Mori. Meanwhile, New Zealand failed to take advantage of a penalty stroke that was fired wide by Megan Hull. For Japan, a goal came out of nowhere in the final minute of the first half when Nagai deflected a long and hard ground ball from Shihori Oikawa. New Zealand wasted no time in restoring some balance to the scoreline by earning a penalty corner two minutes after the restart. It became a penalty stroke when the ball hit Nagai’s foot. Stephanie Dickins’ powerful drive hit the crossbar and went in after hitting the pad of goalkeeper Eika Nakamura. New Zealand continued to apply pressure and finally got the equaliser with six minutes to go. Dickins’ long pass was deflected for Hannah Gravenhall to smash it in. New Zealand’s Rose Tynan won player of the match and said: “It was a dominant performance. We were disappointed to be down at halftime. Props to everyone to keep pushing and get the goals in the second half.” (Women’s) Ireland 3-0 Italy Ireland responded well to the bashing from Spain on the opening day to beat Italy 3-0. They started finely as Hannah McLoughlin drew the defenders towards her before crossing from the right for an unmarked Niamh Carey to tap in in four minutes. The women in green looked organised and disciplined to keep Italy at bay. The second quarter saw them double the advantage with McLoughlin powering one down the middle from a penalty corner in the 17th minute. They looked like a team reborn as McLoughlin got her second and Ireland’s third in the last minute of the first half. It’s not that Italy did not try, but they weren’t able to convert the chances despite getting six penalty corners. The second half finished goalless as Ireland recovered brilliantly from the opening-day defeat to stay alive in the competition. Hannah McLoughlin of Ireland won player of the match and praised her teammates for the performance. She said: “It’s definitely better than our performance yesterday. We worked on our penalty corners and it paid off. But it’s a team win today.” (Women’s) Korea 1-3 Spain Spain came back from a goal down to beat Korea 1-3 to enjoy a great home tournament in Terrassa. Barring a few chances for the hosts, the game was not living up to hype in the first half. But all that changed within a couple of minutes. In the 24th minute, Korea won a penalty corner that was smashed in by Minjeong Kim. Just when it looked like Korea would go into halftime with the lead, a cheap error resulted in a penalty stroke. Lola Riera made it 1-1 with ease to set up an intense 30 more minutes. Within nine minutes of restart, Spain started to find the pockets. A penalty corner in the 38th minute was well-saved by Eunji Kim, but Sara Barrios was given acres of space for a goal a minute later. Spain turned on the heat from then on and added one more thanks to a superb penalty corner from Riera. The excitement of the third quarter faded out in the fourth with both teams just wanting to see out the match as Spain continued to dictate the terms and finish with another crucial win. Lola Riera was awarded player of the match and said: “I think in the beginning it was a bit hard to play against them. I think the final balls are the most important in these types of games and we are happy with the win.” (Men’s) New Zealand 4-2 Korea New Zealand topped Pool A after winning their fourth game 4-2 against Korea to qualify for the semi-finals. The Black Sticks started strongly against Korea, attacking from all sides of the pitch and got their reward within five minutes. It was a

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                    Women’s Hockey at the Olympic Games: A statistical rewind

                      04 Jun, 2024 Women’s hockey has been a permanent feature at the Summer Olympic Games since the Olympic Games Moscow 1980. In the 11 editions of the games starting from 1980, women’s hockey has been played at each event, and produced incredible moments on the pitch, with 6 different nations having claimed the gold medal across the competition’s history! Join us in the build up to the Paris 2024 Olympics Hockey tournament, as we take a deep dive into some of the statistics that tell the story of women’s hockey at the Olympic Games… Any statistical look at the Olympics has to begin with a look at the most successful team in the history of the games. In women’s hockey at the Olympics, Netherlands are the most successful team in the competition’s history, medalling at 9 different editions, including 4 gold medals, 2 silver medals and 3 bronze medals. With three gold medals and one silver medal in the last four Olympic Games, Netherlands have been nearly unstoppable on the biggest stage over the past two decades. Australia are the second most successful team in women’s Olympics Hockey history with 3 gold medals to their name in the Seoul 1988, Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2002 games. Curiously, outside of their three gold medal winning performances, Australia have never stood on the podium at the Olympics. Zimbabwe (Moscow 1980), Spain (Barcelona 1992), Germany (Athens 2004) and Great Britain (Rio 2016) are the other four teams to have won the gold medal in women’s hockey at the Olympic Games. After Netherlands, Argentina actually hold the record for most medals won in women’s Olympic hockey with 5 medals, but are yet to win a gold medal, with three silver medal and two bronze medal finishes. South Korea are the most successful team from Asia, with two silver medals, won in the late 20th century. Netherlands hold the record for the most number of goals scored in the competition, with 166 goals scored in 67 matches and Australia follow closely behind, with 146 goals in 61 matches. Netherlands also hold the record for most goals scored in a single edition of the games, with their 29 goals in Tokyo 2020 eclipsing Australia’s record of 27 goals from Atlanta 1996. Women’s hockey at the Olympic Games Beijing 2008 set the record for most number of goals scored in a single edition of the competition with a total of 149 goals scored across 38 games, at an average of nearly 4 goals per game! Remarkably 6 different teams; Netherlands, Australia, Argentina, China, Germany and Korea, managed to score 15 or more goals in the 2008 edition! Maartje Paumen of Netherlands, widely considered one of the best exponents of the drag flick skill, holds the record for most goals scored in women’s hockey at the Olympics with 19 goals scored across 3 editions. She also holds the record for most goals in a single edition of the competition, scoring 11 goals in 7 matches at the Olympic Games Beijing 2008! German hockey star Natascha Keller is the only women’s hockey player to appear in 5 editions of the Olympic Games. She made her first appearance at the games in Atlanta 1996 and went on to appear in each of the next four editions of the games. She was part of the historic German team that won the gold medal at the Athens 2004 Olympics and created history when she became the first German hockey player ever, to serve as the flag-bearer at the Olympic Games, when she led the German contingent at the Olympic Games London 2012, in her final appearance in the competition. To access more in-depth team and player stats, visit datahub.hockey and create your account for FREE! The Olympic Games Paris 2024 will be played from 27 July to 9 August. For more details about the competition, visit Olympics.Hockey.