Tough times ahead for India as Germany joins qualifying race

New Delhi, Aug 27 (UNI) The Indian hockey team's quest for the 2008 Beijing Olympics has become tougher as World champions Germany have also joined the qualifying race for the mega sports event after being dumped by rank outsider Belgium in the EuroHockey Nations Championship.

Belgium stunned Germany 4-3 to claim bronze in the EuroHockey at Manchestar, England, yesterday and booked a place for the Beijing Olympics men's hockey competition.

Holland won the title piping traditional rivals Spain 3-2.

However, both the teams made it to the Olympics.

In all, 12 teams will make the field for the hockey event in the Olympics and so far eight have qualified.

They are China (hosts), Korea (Asian Games Champions), Pakistan (Asian Games bronze medallists which is extra quota based upon the team rankings after World Cup 2006), South Africa (Winner of the African Olympic Qualification Tournament), Canada (Champion of the 15th Pan American Games), Holland, Spain and Belgium (Winners, Runners-up and third placer respectively at the 11th EuroHockey Nations Championship).

The ninth automatic qualifier will be the winner of the 5th Oceania Cup (either Australia or New Zealand).

This leaves 18 teams to battle it out for the three remaining vacancies which will be filled through the three qualifying tournaments.

The teams for the qualifying tournaments which are based on FIH's quota system are: Africa (1): Egypt; Asia (4): India, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Japan; Europe(8): Germany, Britain, France, Ireland, Czech Republic, Azerbaijan, Ukrain, Poland; Oceania(1): Either Australia or New Zealand; Pan America (4): Argentina, Chile, Trinidad, Cuba.

The qualifying tournaments with a field of six teams each will be played as per the following schedule.

February 2 to 10, 2008: Auckland (New Zealand), March 1 to 9: Santiago(Chile); April 5 to 13: Kakamigahara (Japan) Winners of these tournaments will complete the 12-team field for the Olympics.

Teams for these tournaments will be decided on the basis of the FIH's rankings.

UNI