The African Hockey Road to Paris 2024 (M/W) will take place during the period 29 Oct. – 5 Nov. 2023 in Pretoria, South Africa with 8 Men & 7 Women teams. Men: South Africa Egypt Ghana Nigeria Zimbabwe Kenya Zambia Uganda Women: South Africa Ghana Kenya Nigeria Zimbabwe Namibia Zambia #EnRouteToParis #HockeyInvites #AfricaHockeyNews
03 September, 2023 The highly anticipated FIH Hockey5s World Cup Oman 2024 was officially launched today at a ceremony which took place in Salalah, Oman attended by FIH President Tayyab Ikram, chief guest H.H. Sayyid Firas Bin Fatik Al Said and Undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth H.E. Basil bin Ahmed Al Rawas. On this occasion, the pools of the tournament were revealed. In the women’s competition hosts Oman were drawn in Pool A along with Malaysia, Fiji and Netherlands. Australia, South Africa, Ukraine and Zambia are placed in Pool B. India, United States, Poland and Namibia are in Pool C, while New Zealand, Uruguay, Thailand and Paraguay complete Pool D. In the men’s competition Netherlands were drawn with Pakistan, Poland and Nigeria in Pool A. India, Egypt, Switzerland and Jamaica will compete in Pool B. Australia, New Zealand, Trinidad & Tobago and Kenya are placed in Pool C, while hosts Oman will face Malaysia, United States and Fiji in Pool D. The 16 men’s and women’s teams from around the world will all be vying to become the first ever Hockey5s World Champions when the World Cup gets underway from 24-31 January 2024 in Muscat, Oman. FIH President Tayyab Ikram, in his message congratulated all the 32 teams that qualified for the FIH Hockey5s World Cup and said: “I would like to congratulate all the 16 men’s and women’s teams that will be a part of the record books as the first teams to compete in an FIH Hockey5s World Cup! You represent the very best of Hockey5s; and you will be the trailblazers and the role models for all future players who take up this new and exciting format of our beloved sport” Speaking about the new era that the FIH Hockey5s World Cup 2024 ushers, he added: “The draw ceremony today not only sets up the path to the gold medal for our teams, but also heralds the dawn of a new era in Hockey! Hockey5s is not just a very exciting format, but it is also a highly accessible version of Hockey that I am sure will inspire even more youngsters to pick up the stick and the ball and start playing our beautiful sport. Special thanks to Oman Hockey Association as they will, as we know it, put together a fantastic show for the inaugural Hockey5s World Cup.” For more information about the FIH Hockey5s World Cup 2024, please click here. Source: fih.hockey
31 August, 2023 The International Hockey Federation (FIH) was delighted to learn this week that FIH President, Tayyab Ikram, has been appointed by the International Olympic Committee’s President, Thomas Bach, to the IOC Olympic Solidarity Commission. The Olympic Solidarity Commission is responsible for defining the main courses of action and managing the activities of Olympic Solidarity, for example by approving programmes and the related budgets, and monitoring their implementation. It enjoys financial, technical and administrative autonomy, and reports to the IOC Executive Board and President, keeping them regularly informed about the main decisions taken. In a letter addressed to the FIH President, IOC President Thomas Bach wrote: “Having reviewed the composition of the IOC Commissions this year, in consultation with their respective chairs, it is a great pleasure for me to appoint you as a member of the Olympic Solidarity Commission. I thank you in advance for the valuable contribution you will provide to the work of the commission and look forward to the great pleasure of seeing you soon.” Speaking on the appointment, Mr Ikram said: “It is a great honour for me to once again serve in the IOC Olympic Solidarity Commission, which has a huge impact on the athletes and in sports overall. It is a very important responsibility that I welcome wholeheartedly. The Commission does a lot for the welfare of athletes and the development of sport in all countries which has always been a personal mission of mine as well. My goal will be to not just help our sport of hockey, but also all athletes, no matter which sport they belong to.” Source: fih.hockey
02 September, 2023 The inaugural Hockey5s Asia Cup came to an end today at Salalah, Oman as both Indian women’s and men’s teams claimed the gold medals. The top three finishers (men and women) were guaranteed a spot at the inaugural FIH Hockey5s World Cup 2024. Joining India in the women’s podium, and securing their spot at the World Cup, were Thailand as silver medalists, and Malaysia as bronze medalists. In the men’s competition, joining India in qualifying for the World Cup, were Pakistan who won the silver medal and Malaysia, who finished fourth behind Oman, who took bronze. As Oman have already qualified for the World Cup as hosts, Malaysia take the third available spot from Asia. In the women’s competition, India went unbeaten throughout the tournament, topping the Elite pool registering three wins in their three matches. Thailand finished second to secure their semi-final spot. Japan and Malaysia went into the crossovers against Indonesia and Hong Kong China, who finished as the top two teams in the challenger pool. Indonesia and Malaysia were the crossover winners and moved on to the semi-finals. India defeated Malaysia 9-5 in a goalfest in the first semi-final, while Thailand relied on a solid defence to take a 5-2 win over Indonesia in the second semi-final. The bronze medal match produced a thriller, with the teams ending regulation time tied at 4-goals apiece. Malaysia were down 4-1 at half-time but scored thrice in the second half to pull level and won the bronze medal in the shoot-outs. In the final Thailand led 2-1 midway through the opening half, but India scored 6 unanswered goals from that point on to snatch the gold medal and become the inaugural champions. In the men’s competition, Pakistan and India topped the Elite pool securing their spots in the semi-finals. Pakistan topped the group with 13 points, while India finished second on 12 points. In their pool stage head-to-head match Pakistan got the better of India in a 5-4 thriller. In the first stage of crossover matches, Iran and Oman defeated Japan and Kazakhstan to make it to the second stage crossover matches. Oman defeated Bangladesh 5-3 to make it to the semi-finals, while Iran’s challenge came to a halt in a 6-1 loss to Malaysia. India and Pakistan sealed a finals rematch, as Pakistan won their semi-final against Oman by a 7-3 margin, while India overcame an early 2-1 deficit to win 10-4 against Malaysia. The finals once again proved to be a tight contest between India and Pakistan as the momentum and lead switched hands multiple times. At the end of full time the teams were tied at 4-4 and the title was to be decided by a shoot-out. India edged the shoot-out and claimed the gold medal, with both teams securing a spot in the upcoming World Cup. Oman claimed the bronze medal with a 5-4 win over Malaysia. But with Oman already qualifying for the World Cup as hosts, the third available qualification spot from Asia went to Malaysia as the fourth placed team. The inaugural edition of the FIH Hockey5s World Cup 2024 will be played in Muscat, Oman from 24-31 January 2024, with 16 teams competing in both men’s and women’s tournaments. All 16 teams participating in the women’s competition have now qualified. Oman (hosts), Namibia, South Africa and Zambia (Africa), USA, Uruguay and Paraguay (Pan America), Netherlands, Poland and Ukraine (Europe) Australia, New Zealand and Fiji (Oceania), India, Thailand and Malaysia (Asia) will be the 16 teams to participate in the World Cup. All 16 teams participating in the men’s competition have now qualified. Oman (hosts), Netherlands, Poland and Switzerland (Europe), Egypt, Kenya and Nigeria(Africa), USA, Trinidad & Tobago and Jamaica(Pan America), Australia, New Zealand and Fiji (Oceania), India, Pakistan and Malaysia (Asia) will be the 16 teams to participate in the World Cup. Source: fih.hockey
