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Two Pool Format Confirmed For Women's World Cup Qualifier

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has confirmed the operation of a two-pools-of-eight-teams format for the 10^th Women’s World Cup Qualifier in Amiens/Abbeville from 18 – 30 September 2001. 

Previous plans for the tournament called for a four-pools-of-four format as conducted at the Women's Junior World Cup held in May and last month's Men's World Cup Qualifier in Edinbourgh, Scotland. The U.S. team was originally scheduled for Pool B with Scotland, Belgium and Kazakhstan.

Following the express wish by the host organisers, the FIH Executive Board has accepted that the 10^th Women’s World Cup Qualifier be played under the two-pool format.  As a result the duration of the competition has been extended from 13 to 14 days and therefore, will commence one day earlier than published, from the 17^th September 2001.  The final match will still be played on 30 September 2001.

With the final deadline for confirmation of participation having closed on Friday 27^th July, participating nations can be confirmed as follows:

Belgium (BEL), Canada (CAN), England (ENG), France (FRA), India (IND), Ireland (IRE), Japan (JPN), Kazakhstan (KZK), Kenya (KEN), Lithuania (LTU), Malaysia (MAS), Russia (RUS), Scotland (ECO), Ukraine (UKR), Uruguay (URU), USA (USA)

Peter Cohen, FIH Honorary Secretary General, commented, "We’re keen to advance as quickly and as conscientiously as possible to the new standard of a two-pools-of-eight format.  Whilst we appreciate that any change in schedule at short notice may cause some inconvenience, there are clear scheduling benefits to the two-pool format for teams, supporters and media.  Overall, it is encouraging that the progression to the new format has received widespread support from both the host organisers and participating nations."

At the recent Executive Board meeting on Saturday 21 July, the FIH decided to adopt a two-pools-of-eight-teams format for the 10th Men’s World Cup, to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in March and the 10th Women’s World Cup in Perth, Australia in November 2002.

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