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Hockey India justifies decision
Justifying their pullout from the International Hockey Federation\'s Pro League, Hockey India said the event does not offer direct qualification to the Olympics and would have been detrimental to the chances of its women\'s team.
New Delhi: Justifying their pullout from the International Hockey Federation's Pro League, Hockey India said the event does not offer direct qualification to the Olympics and would have been detrimental to the chances of its women's team.
The ambitious Pro League, set to kick-start in 2019, will only give the top-four teams in both men's and women's a chance to compete in the Olympic qualifiers, an HI official has claimed.
While the Indian men's team's chances are bright, the eves, currently placed 13th in the world ranking, would have found it tough to finish in the top four.
The HI official said instead of the Pro League, both the men's and women's teams have better chances of making the Olympic qualifiers through World League Round 1 and Round 2 which will continue to co-exist with the Pro League from 2019.
"Let us make it clear that the Pro League will not give direct berths to top four teams in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. It will only give the top four teams a chance to play in the Olympic qualifiers."
"We have a better chance through the World League Round 1 and 2 so why to go the other way. Every nation had a chance to withdraw before July 17,” a Hockey India source said on Sunday.
