Michael Finch Hockey
Claire Digby, the president of South Africa hockey, had a tough job this week.
While delighted with the decision by the National Olympic Committee of South Africa (Nocsa) to include the women’s hockey side in the Olympic team, Digby also had to inform the men’s team that they would not be going to Sydney.
This week, Nocsa president Sam Ramsamy said the exclusion of the men’s team had been based on two criteria. The first was that the team could not be included on merit since they were unlikely to finish among the top nine countries in the 12- team competition. The second was that they did not meet Nocsa’s policy of universality, since the team didn’t have enough players “from the previously disadvantaged sector”.
While point two cannot be disputed, the reasoning behind the first criterion was vague and alarming.
Ramsamy said the Nocsa executive had consulted “widely” before deciding whether or not the men’s team would be included.
When pressed to explain who had been consulted, Ramsamy refused to divulge Nocsa’s “advisers”.
“Of course, all selections are subjective and, at the end of the day, the Nocsa executive makes the final decision,” Ramsamy said.
Digby disputed Nocsa’s reasoning. “In a pool situation, it is impossible to decide how a team will do,” she said. “South Africa are firmly entrenched in the 7-12 ranking in the world and it’s impossible for someone to make a judgment on how they will do. I certainly couldn’t make a call like that.”
Ironically, the South African men’s hockey team was the only team selected for the 1996 Olympics, but Digby feels that the decision now will make a big and negative impact on the sport in South Africa.
“We might well find that there will be a whole rash of retirements now,” Digby said. “There’s no money in the sport so the Olympics and world championships are the only rewards.
“There is now a strong possibility that Africa will not be represented in hockey at the Olympic Games.”
The men’s side were due to leave for a five-nation tournament in Egypt this week, but Digby suggested their participation may now be in doubt.