Placing Hockey 5s alongside the traditional 11-a-side format at future Olympics is an FIH “fanstasy”, according to leading German officials.
The International Hockey Federation has made inroads into lifting the shortened outdoor format of the game, one which will co-exist along with 11s and the shortened indoor version.
However, Dirk Wellen, who now heads the German Bundesliga as president, beleives the sport is coming under “massive pressure” from new competitions in an already cluttered field, which includes the global FIH Pro League.
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Why is it a fantasy? If Volleyball can have beach volleyball, basketball can have basketball 3’s then why can’t hockey and Hockey5s be together at the Olympics.
There will soon be a mini sporting war about hockey in Europe. In one corner will be Germany which strongly supports indoor hockey and opposes hockey 5s because they fear it may usurp indoor hockey’s position. It has the support of traditionalists like Netherlands, Belgium etc.
In the other corner is Poland who strongly support hockey5s and participate in all hockey 5s events. Poland has the support of non traditional hockey playing countries. These countries have limited funds so a format like Hockey5s which is 5 times cheaper than regular hockey has a lot of attraction for them.