ISLAMABAD: The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has announced 20 teams that will feature in the field hockey event at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games being staged in Nanjing next month.

There will be ten teams in both the men and women’s competitions, with a total of 180 promising young players representing 16 hockey-playing countries.

Each competition has two representatives from Europe, Asia, Africa, Pan America and Oceania in a truly global tournament, says an FIH press release.

The Youth Olympic Games sees young athletes between the ages of 15 and 18 compete across a range of Olympic sports providing athletes with valuable experience of multi-sport events and giving fans the chance to get a glimpse of future stars.

The Nanjing Games will see over 3,000 athletes competing in 222 events across 28 disciplines, with hockey playing a key role.

The men’s competition features Spain and Germany representing Europe, Pakistan and Bangladesh from Asia, Canada and Mexico from Pan America, Australia and New Zealand from Oceania, and South Africa and Zambia representing Africa.

In the women’s contest, hosts China are joined by Japan, South Africa, Zambia, the Netherlands, Germany, Fiji, New Zealand, Argentina and Uruguay.

Hockey at Nanjing 2014 will be showcasing teams from emerging hockey nations, with Mexico and Bangladesh in the men’s competition, Fiji in the women’s competition, and Zambia fielding teams in both.

This is part of the FIH’s strategy to keep growing the influence of hockey around the world. In keeping with this FIH are in the process of developing a small-sided complimentary game with their official innovation partner, Loughborough University.

The new dynamic format is being designed to appeal to youth and generate new hockey playing nations.

As a result, the FIH hopes to see even more emerging nations competing and succeeding at international events in the future.

Published in Dawn, August 1st, 2014