The South African men’s hockey team are going to the Athens Olympic Games, after the Court of Arbitration of Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland, rejected the Hellenic Hockey Association’s appeal on Wednesday.
The decision brought to an end months of anxious waiting for both countries and means that South Africa will have two hockey teams competing at the biggest sporting event on the planet.
The news comes as sweet justice for some members of the South African squad who missed out on Sydney 2000 when National Olympic Committee of South Africa (Nocsa) chief Sam Ramsamy pulled the plug after they had qualified through Africa.
Ace goal-scorer Greg Nicol was one of those unfortunate men, after he was the top goal-scorer at Atlanta in 1996.
”Four years ago was very difficult, but I’m thrilled that it has gone our way this time,” he said.
Nicol, who will call an end to his illustrious international career after the Olympics, said the decision is good for hockey in this country.
”It’s fantastic for the future of hockey in this country and I was confident. At least I was until about two days ago and then all these little doubts started creeping in, but luckily we can now get on with it.
”Personally it will be a wonderful way to bring the curtain down on my career and I honestly couldn’t think of a better way to do it.”
The women, currently in China for a four-Nation tournament, had already qualified by winning the All Africa Games title last year, beating Nigeria 10-0 in the final.
The men, however, failed to do so at the same event — losing 3-2 to Egypt in a gripping final, after leading 2-0 — and had to travel to Madrid for the Olympic Qualifying tournament in March.
There they finished seventh after a nail-biting penalty stroke shoot-out against Belgium, good enough to make it to Athens with one proviso — the Greeks had to fail in their bid to secure an automatic spot by virtue of being hosts.
The men’s inclusion is an added fillip for Africa, which for the first time in history will have two teams playing in the men’s competition.
Said Ramsamy after the announcement: ”Nocsa is delighted with the decision of the International Olympic Committee to allow the South African men’s national hockey team to participate in this year’s Olympic Games in Athens.”
”We applaud the verdict of the Court of Arbitration of Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland, in granting our hockey team the opportunity to participate in this prestigious event.
”At present Nocsa is awaiting the necessary documentation from the South African Hockey Association with regards to their participation in Athens.”
Meanwhile, an ecstatic South African Hockey Association president Charles Smith said from Lausanne: ”It’s positive! We are playing! The Hellenic appeal was dismissed by the court and we are in [the] Olympics.”
”It is a massive, massive boost,” he continued. ”Especially for the men, because all the doom and gloom of four years ago can now be put behind us.”
National coach Paul Revington said now it is time to focus totally on being competitive at Athens.
”I am very happy with our preparation so far, we have been carrying on regardless, but this morning when I woke up was the first time that I realised what this decision might mean,” he said from Cape Town.
”Obviously though we are pleased. It is fantastic for our hockey, but at the same time I must say that I am sorry for the Greeks,” added Revington magnanimously. — Sapa