Comment: FIH needs to revise Champions Trophy format
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Contrary to the fact that the format of the recently-held Champions Trophy benefitted the two finalists more than other competing teams, it needs to be reviewed by the games controlling body, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) as it made the event a laughing stock.
Pakistan was the only team among eight nations that could not win any of their three matches and finished at bottom in pool ‘A’ of the first phase.
New look Germany, who are also the Olympic champions, too, finished at the bottom in the pool ‘B’ but with a solitary win under their belt.
However the quarter-finals that followed the league saw reversal when Pakistan shocked the top team of the other pool, World Cup silver medallists the Netherlands 4-2. In identical fashion, Germany scored a solitary goal win over top team of pool ‘A’, England. The rest is history now.
Since its inception at Lahore in 1978, the Champions Trophy was considered as the toughest event of the FIH. With a couple of exceptions, the event used to be contested by top six teams of the world on a single league basis.
Five teams contested in the inaugural event at Lahore in 1978 followed by seven in the next at Karachi in 1980.
First time eight teams were allowed to feature at Amsterdam in 1987 but they played on single league.
Again the 2007, 2011, 2012 and the recent 2014 events saw eight teams competing for honours.
Former Olympian Samiullah has called upon the FIH to do away with the existing Champions Trophy format and revert to the old of six teams vying on single league.
“It’s ridiculous. Belgium and Australia bit the dust in the end as poor finishers of their groups Pakistan and Germany fought for the honours,” the flying horse told Dawn.
“I’m writing a letter to the games controlling body of the world to review the format and either revert to old or expand the teams from eight to 10 or 12 with two pools and top two teams from each playing semi-finals on criss cross basis.”
“When introduced, Campions Trophy was considered as the toughest event of the world and the only competition of FIH calendar to be played on single league,” he added.
Published in Dawn December 21th , 2014
