Hockey World Cups
trimmed to 12 teams

The 11th men’s and women’s hockey World Cups in 2006 will both be 12-team tournaments, the FIH Executive Board has decided.

The decision sees a reversion to the previous two-pools-of-six tournament format that took place previous to this year’s Junior World Cups and World Cup qualifiers.

The decision takes place within the context of a revised qualification system, designed to streamline whilst maintaining opportunity, which will be considered by the FIH Executive Board at its next meeting in March 2002, said an FIH statement.

Pakistan hockey legend Shahbaz Ahmed, who attended the FIH Events and Competitions Committee meeting in Brussels last Wednesday as 'athlete’s representative', commented in The News International, "I personally believe that the World Cup should just be competed by 12 teams and not more. When you will allow 16 teams to take part then you are bound to have some sides that are simply not in the same league as others. We should first wait for other teams to be good enough before letting them join the tournament.

"A bigger World Cup means more matches and that means more days. As a player I know its very difficult to concentrate and remain focussed for too many days at a stretch."

FIH honorary secretary-general Peter Cohen commented, "Although we tried to broaden access in the current World Cup cycle, the twelve-team format has been proved to provide a more consistent level of hockey excellence, a more manageable tournament for host organisers and perhaps most importantly, is less exhausting for the players."

The FIH Executive Board also decided to allow 18 players on the team benches, uniquely at the men’s World Cup in Kuala Lumpur. The increase from 16 players has been allowed for reasons of extreme weather conditions combined with the demanding schedule.