Sam Quek believes sports such as football, golf and tennis should not be at the Olympics. “In my opinion, if the Olympics is not the pinnacle of your sport, then your sport should not be in the Olympics,” she said.
The GB Hockey star took aim at those sports which already have a high profile in a new episode of Colin Murray’s 52 podcast.
In answer to the question ‘what’s the best sporting motivation, love or hate?’, Quek discussed the funding pressures sports such as hockey face to secure money for future Games, which helped to spur her on to beat Team GB’s Dutch opponents in the final in Rio.
She said: “I was playing for the future of my sport. It’s the reality that if hockey didn’t get onto the podium, you lose money and UK Sports stops funding you – so the girls that were going to Tokyo wouldn’t have had a chance to train full time.”
In other episodes released, Olympic sprinter and bronze medal winner, Kath Merry, opens up about the tough circumstances athletes face when it comes to raising a family while training.
When talking about having children while being an athlete in training, Kath says, “so many women, for example, Jessica Ennis Hill, have their child and come back but the provisions aren’t as good as they should be to allow that to happen. It’s a massive issue. I trained with men, and it was hard for them as well, leaving young children as a professional sportsman is hard.”
George Groves, British former professional boxer, packs a punch in his episode, stating how he “detested” competitor, Carl Froch, who knocked him clean out at an explosive match at Wembley Stadium.
Whilst Chris Robshaw, former England Rugby captain, spills the tea on his former teammates, claiming Jonny May was a “headless chicken” in the changing rooms. Robshaw reveals he’s also a Taylor Swift fan after being asked which artist he’d listen to for the rest of his life.
Listen to Colin Murray’s 52 sponsored by Grosvenor Casinos here
I don’t necessarily disagree with Sam’s statement bar maybe Women’s Football; World cup and Olympics have had similar stature in the past.. though realise that is changing.
Olympics is the pinnacle for hockey.
I love my hockey but numbers wise Hockey at the Olympics is at risk, for a few reasons.
1) Unlike Football and Rugby the stadiums are already built. Hockey needs temporary stands/stadiums etc.. largely limited re-use after
2) Football teams largely use training centres/hotels away from athletes village, where as 432 beds are needed for players ( excluding coaches etc) for 2 gold medals on offer … that is significant cost to hosting country.
4) Countries that play international hockey globally is limited.
This is big negative for Hockey in olympic circles in my eyes. Squash and Netball have tried and failed to get into olympics and believe global outreach is one big factor.
Could indoor hockey or hockey 5’s be the answer for the olympics? I’m not sold on 5’s yet but maybe rules will be refined over time.
As for UK Sport funding Hockey!
1) results have not been great for circa £14m the sports gets – appreciate women have medalled the last 3 previous Olympics but still comes back to the UK sport funding re cost of a medal.
Likewise Sailing, Taekwondo, Boxing, Badminton and Judo will be a risk of losing some funding
https://www.uksport.gov.uk/our-work/investing-in-sport/current-funding-awards
To note Rugby and golf, don’t get funding
2) I am sure with no Performance director in place and recruitment decisions being so bad ,given feedback that squad made some years ago and will not be viewed well at UK sport.
3) unfortunately UK sport is based largely on return on investment and Hockey will always struggle to justify its funding versus Rowing, Athletics and swimming given medal opportunities.
I hope Hockey gets funded well in next cycle but with that changes will be needed at GB/UK hockey.