With 11 of the 12 teams now qualified for both the men’s and women’s hockey tournaments at the 2012 London Olympic Games, the Olympic picture is clearing up. But with so many teams making it to the games through so many different events, FIH.ch thought it would be useful to remind hockey fans, which teams are headed to London and how they earned their berth to the Games.
The Men’s Olympic picture is very clear with the groups set and just one team left to be qualified on May 6th following the conclusion of the Olympic Qualification Tournament in Kakamigahara, Japan. The teams that are automatically qualified are:
• Great Britain as Host Nation
• Pakistan as Continental Champion of Asia
• Argentina as Continental Champion Panamerica
• Australia as Continental Champion Oceania
• Germany as Continental Champion Europe
• New Zealand as the Quota Place Oceania
• Netherlands as the Quota Place Europe
• Belgium as the Quota Place Europa
• Spain as replacement for South Africa which relinquished its continental qualification place
• India as the Winner of the qualification tournament in Delhi, India (18-26 February)
• Korea as the Winner of the qualification tournament in Dublin, Ireland (10-18 March)
Left to qualify:
• Winner of the qualification tournament in Kakamigahara, Japan (25 April – 6 May)
Participants: Austria, Brazil, China, Czech Republic, Japan, South Africa
The Women’s Olympic tournament is a bit more unclear. With ninth-ranked Japan still in the running to make the Games, the preliminary round groups cannot yet be determined. Nevertheless, 11 women’s teams are also qualified for the Games. Here’s how they punched their ticket to London:
• Great Britain as Host Nation
• China as Continental Champion Asia
• United States as Continental Champion Panamerica
• New Zealand as Continental Champion Oceania
• Netherlands as Continental Champion Europe
• Australia as the Quota Place Oceania
• Germany as the Quota Place Europe
• Korea as the Quota Place Asia
• Argentina as replacement for South Africa which relinquished its continental qualification place
• South Africa as the Winner of the qualification tournament in Delhi, India (18-26 February)
• Belgium as the Winner of the qualification tournament in Kontich, Belgium (17-25 March)
Left to qualify:
• Winner of qualification tournament in Kakamigahara, Japan (25 April – 6 May)
Participants: Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Chile, Japan, Malaysia
