NEW DELHI, Aug 8: World field hockey chiefs were on Friday grappling with a major row caused by two unrelated trans-Atlantic developments that threaten to undermine the Olympic sport.

The unprecedented goal spree at the ongoing Pan-American Games in the Dominican Republic that eclipsed India’s 71-year-old world record has raised the heckles of hockey lovers around the globe.

The hosts, playing an international hockey event for the first time, were thrashed by Argentina 30-0 and then by Chile 25-0 to eclipse India’s famous 24-1 victory over the United States at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1932.

Critics want the new records erased, saying the huge scorelines against the Dominican minnows devalued the sport.

As if that was not enough, world champions Germany decided this week to field a second-string team at the elite six-nation Champions Trophy tournament in the Netherlands from Aug 16.

German coach Bernhard Peters said he wanted to preserve the seniors for the subsequent European Nations Cup in Spain in September which will give the winner a direct entry to next year’s Athens Olympics.

“We may not make it to next year’s Champions Trophy, but it would be tragic if we did not qualify for the Olympics,” Peters said.

The sport’s leading website, www.fieldhockey.com, slammed Germany’s move and urged the International Hockey Federation (FIH) to take action

“Germany have effectively turned the battle of the superpowers into a mockery. A spit on the faces of world hockey and the other five teams who had been training hard for the competition,” the website said.

“Spectators who have already bought tickets for the Germany matches should be offered a complete refund on their tickets as they are not getting the spectacle they anticipated in buying the tickets.

“Germany should be expelled from the tournament if they insist on insulting the hockey world. In fact, they should be kept out of the international arena.”

India, Pakistan, Australia, Argentina and the Netherlands are the other teams in the fray in the Aug 16-24 tournament in Amstelveen.

FIH officials declined to make an immediate comment on Germany’s surprise move, but defended Dominican Republic’s participation at the Pan American Games and insisted the new records will stay.—AFP