India fail to get berth for C'wealth hockey

The Commonwealth Games Federation is to adopt the International Hockey Federation's policy for qualification to the men's and women's hockey tournaments at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester.

At a meeting in Manchester on Friday, the CGF assembly accepted the FIH qualification procedure for world-wide tournaments. Under this procedure the eight qualifying nations are the host, the defending champions, plus the highest ranked nation from each of the six Commonwealth regions. If the highest ranked nation from a region is already qualified as host or defending champion, then the next highest ranked nation of that region shall qualify. Should any team withdraw, the vacancy would be filled by the next highest world ranking commonwealth nation, regardless of region.

As such, the Indian men's team fails to find a place among the teams. Pakistan, despite being suspended from the Commonwealth, have been listed as the team to qualify from Asia, having the best ranking by virtue of finishing fourth at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, according to a statement from the International Hockey Federation (FIH).

The teams qualifying for the women's and men's hockey tournaments at the 2002 Commonwealth Games are as follows:

Women's Competition
Host Nation: England
Previous winner: Australia
Europe: Scotland - highest ranked excluding England (pre-qualified); 5th European Nations Cup, August 1999
Africa: South Africa - winner of All Africa Games 1999
Asia: India - highest ranked nation from 4th Asia Cup, December 1999
America: Canada - highest ranked nation from 1st Americas Cup 2001
Caribbean: Jamaica - highest ranked nation from 1st Americas Cup 2001
Oceania: New Zealand - highest ranked excluding Australia (pre-qualified)

Men's competition
Host nation: England
Previous winner: Australia
Europe: Wales - highest ranked excluding England (pre-qualified); 10th Men`s World Cup Qualifier, July 2001
Africa: South Africa - winner of All Africa Games 1999 (qualifier for Olympic Games)
Asia: Pakistan - highest ranked on basis of 4th placing 2000 Olympics
America: Canada - highest ranked from 1st Americas Cup 2000
Caribbean: Barbados - highest ranked from 1st Americas Cup 2000
Oceania: New Zealand - highest ranked excluding Australia (pre-qualified)