Hockey Australia (HA) had admitted it is “doing all that it can” regarding the unresolved appeals of Hockeyroos pair Rachael Lynch and Georgina Morgan as they bid to return to the women’s programme.
Top goalkeeper Lynch and Morgan, a former captain, were controversially axed from the Hockeyroos squad in December while it is reported that they have been unable to train with the national programme since the omissions.
Now, over 100 days later and the Tokyo Olympics looming, the pair’s appeal hearing has yet to be heard, with April 12 a likely date.
The Australian Hockey Players’ Association says it wants the appeal to be moved forward. Until then, Lynch and Morgan remain locked out of Perth training. According to reports from down under, the pair requested a training return for the intra squad matches at the weekend, but were denied by HA.
An HA statement on Thursday said: “These appeals are being heard by an independent appeals tribunal, thus the process and subsequent timing of the decisions are not matters that Hockey Australia can control, but it is doing all that it can to facilitate a quick resolution of the appeals.
“The timetable for the appeals that the tribunal put in place was agreed to by all parties but has been extended to accommodate requests for additional documents by the players’ lawyers.”
Since the players’ axing, Hockey Australia has seen its performance director and women’s coach both leave the programme, while an independent review was released this month highlighting a dysfunctional culture in the women’s set up.
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