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So it’s the center of November. In Lausanne, Switzerland the place the FIH is predicated first snow has arrived. However that didn’t cease FIH from launching a few press releases in latest days. Saying some novelties following the assembly of their govt board final week.
In in the present day’s podcast & column right here we’ll solely be addressing two of those. So the primary ever world cup to be held in two completely different international locations is not going to be on in the present day’s agenda. Nor the controversial selection for Bhubaneswar for the lads’s world cup, that means 3 out the newest 4 world cups could be hosted by India.
The selection to begin a world cup for Hockey5s by 2023, a presumably deadly selection for our 11v11 recreation of hockey, may even have to attend for an additional time. As will the launch of the FIH Intercontinental Cup, mainly the 2nd division for the FIH Professional League. We’ll focus on these selections in separate podcasts & columns within the close to future…
Nonetheless in the present day we’ll restrict ourselves to much less controversial although vital modifications: first we’ll focus on the brand new system for our international rating to be launched in January of 2020. Secondly we’ll speak concerning the street to Bhubaneswar and future world cups. Wether these will all be hosted in India is for another time.
Who higher to speak us by way of the brand new international rating and the brand new pathway to qualify for a world cup then Jon Wyatt, sports activities & improvement director for the FIH… We spoke with him earlier than when the concept of a brand new international rating was first introduced in March (pay attention right here), however now we’re near the launch.
Why we want a brand new international rating
As Wyatt explains the present international rating is predicated upon tournaments, the place the brand new rating will likely be match-based. Since most nations solely received to take part in FIH tournaments when certified, some solely received to play for factors a couple of times each 4 years. As a result of just some 20% of all official matches performed within the worldwide scene have been being performed in rating tournaments. So 80% of the video games being performed didn’t have any contribution to the world rating.
That could be a drawback. As a result of most nations must present to their authorities or the sports activities funding our bodies of their nation some type of progress to be thought-about for assist. Should you hardly get to play for world rating factors that turns into a tough job. So this was one of many extra vital causes to rethink the worldwide rating. However it’s not the one purpose.
Within the earlier rating most all people will agree there was an excessive amount of subjectivity, particularly within the relative significance given to completely different continental championships. This led to a flawed rating. A match-based system will to a sure extent remove this subjectivity. As a result of it’s going to now give attention to the relative energy of the 2 groups enjoying a recreation as a substitute of attempting to determine and examine the energy of whole continents.
Moreover this, the brand new rating will likely be extra easy and dynamic… making it simpler to create some additional buzz about particular person worldwide video games of any degree. As a result of the fast affect of a win or loss will likely be simple for all to see.
How & when
The brand new rating system will take impact from 2020-01-01 onwards. Nonetheless FIH has chosen to make the change extra regularly. In order to not throw all people off stability from the get go… Although the place of the FIH is excessive efficiency administrators of the nations mustn’t give attention to this international rating, however fairly on performing properly at key moments such because the Olympics and the World Cup. It’s clear an instantaneous change of the rating, recalculating the outcomes of the final 4 years for instance, wouldn’t be truthful on those that made their selections in these days primarily based upon the outdated system. That’s the reason the factors for every nation within the international rating on January 1st will likely be precisely the identical as in the present day. However for each recreation performed from that day on the brand new calculation per match will take impact. Therefore for the brand new system to take full impact it would take a while. It would take 4 years for the factors from the outdated system to be washed out. I might have cherished to see an instantaneous upset of the world order, however should admit this slower implementation is the truthful approach of doing it.
So let’s dive in… what is going to it appear to be?
When the brand new rating is launched the FIH can have a full and detailed rationalization of the algorithms used plus a FAQ (continuously requested questions) primarily based upon all remarks the FIH received from worldwide coaches and efficiency administrators when requested for his or her enter. However let’s check out what it’s going to turn out to be…
First precept is the usual quantity of factors for a win is 10, which suggests the loser of that recreation may even lose 10 factors. Regardless of the calculations that can comply with, the quantity of factors gained by the winner will at all times be precisely the identical quantity of factors misplaced by the loser of that match.
Two elements will affect the usual quantity of 10 factors gained or misplaced:
- the distinction in rating factors earlier than the match is performed
- the significance of the match
The distinction of rating factors between each groups in a match is used to calculate the primary multiplier. Based mostly upon this the usual quantity of 10 factors might max be doubled (issue 2) or minimal lowered to zero (issue 0). That means the quantity of factors gained or misplaced might most be 20 and minimal 0 relying upon the distinction in rating factors. As a result of if crew A (ranked for instance within the prime 5) performs crew B (ranked for instance between 8 and 12), it will be an even bigger accomplishment for crew B to win the match. That’s why primarily based upon the distinction in rating factors crew B for instance would win 15 factors as a substitute of 10 (and crew A would lose 15 factors) if crew B beats crew A. Nonetheless if crew A would win it will be much less of a shock. That’s why crew A in case of a win would for instance solely win 5 factors as a substitute of 10, that means crew B would solely lose 5 as properly.
The above situation could be true in case of an strange official (apply) match. However a second multiplier could be utilized primarily based upon the significance of a match. So the minimal multiplier could be 1 for normal official matches. However for matches with extra significance the quantity of factors at stake might rise drastically:
- x2 for official invitational tournaments with 4 nations or extra
- x3 for official qualifiers to continental championships
- x5 for the FIH Professional League in addition to the brand new FIH Intercontinental Cup (or the 2nd division to the Professional League)
- x6 for the continental championships in addition to the FIH Qualifiers (for each World Cup or Olympics)
- x10 for each the World Cup and the Olympic Video games
So a win on the Video games or WC in opposition to a lot increased ranked nation might presumably lead to 200 factors.
The primary purpose for including extra weight to video games in invitational tournaments (4 or extra international locations concerned) in comparison with common one-on-one check sequence is as a result of FIH desires to advertise/encourage tournaments. And as anticipated the Video games and World Cup could be the occasions the place essentially the most factors could be gained (or misplaced).
What about our brief format of the sport?
For these in love with the brief format of our recreation, indoor hockey, the rating will stay as is and solely be modified after the subsequent World Cup in order to not upset a qualification path to the World Cup half approach. Indoor hockey nevertheless will comply with within the footsteps of out of doors hockey as quickly as attainable is anticipated. By the best way… isn’t it time to cease calling our brief format of the sport indoor hockey? Sure there are international locations the place it’s performed outside as properly 😉
Let’s name it Hockey6 or SuperSixes or no matter cool title FIH advertising and marketing might provide you with and ensure the principles are versatile sufficient to have this recreation performed indoor or outside and on any clean floor. As a result of that is the one and solely brief format of hockey that’s supported, has a legacy and a loyal fanbase around the globe… in the event you catch my drift 😉
New qualifying pathways to the World Cup and Olympics
Again to outside hockey… FIH additionally introduced a brand new pathway to qualify for the subsequent World Cup in Bhubaneswar. No, clearly FIH by no means stated something about Bhubaneswar being the chosen venue as soon as once more. However since cash was the deciding issue to find out the hosts for the World Cups everyone knows it will likely be Odisha and Bhubaneswar as soon as once more.
IOC nonetheless desires two completely different pathways inside attain of each (!) nation to qualify for the Video games. Internet hosting the Video games (or World Cup because it follows the identical path) remains to be the primary solution to qualify. So , the host nation takes the primary out there spot. Keep in mind: 12 taking part international locations for the Olympic Video games and 16 for the World Cup.
Subsequent up, the winners of the continental championship qualify instantly as properly. That might be the primary path to qualification. The second path to qualification comes by way of FIH Qualifiers who will decide which international locations will take the remaining spots for the principle occasion. This arrange will stay the identical…. with some small modifications for the FIH Qualifiers.
That’s the place it will get a bit of bit extra sophisticated… For Tokyo 2020 the FIH Qualifiers have been performed in a better of two format at residence for the very best ranked nation. The place in a semi guided draw, the very best ranked nations – not but certified – could be matched up with the bottom ranked nations. And sub-top nations could be drawn in an analogous solution to decrease ranked nations. Winner takes all the place the winner of those two video games at residence for the very best ranked nation could be decided by the aggregated rating of each video games.
So what is going to change for the FIH World Cup in 2023?
First change is almost about the timing of those Qualifiers. The time between deciding who was enjoying the Qualifiers and the precise video games was too brief for Tokyo. Meaning for the hosts of those video games there was not sufficient time to essentially do some highly effective advertising and marketing for these extremely vital video games in line with FIH. So, for the subsequent World Cup the FIH Qualifiers will all be performed in March 2022!
Yep, that’s proper… in March! As soon as once more the FIH fully ignores the vital home leagues. In our conventional European home leagues competitors restarts in March yearly, after a brief winter break… due to local weather, worldwide hockey and indoor hockey. March by way of Could/June are the important thing months of those home leagues, in addition to the EHL. One can solely say… unimaginable! And I’d even add…. incompetent!
The second change is of much less significance, although I don’t agree once more. The FIH qualifiers will turn out to be residence & away video games, as a substitute of two residence video games for the upper ranked nation. FIH thinks this may make it fairer, my ideas are the upper ranked nation has earned the benefit of enjoying at residence twice. It’s the challengers who must make the additional effort to alter the order. Added bonus, in line with FIH, could be a decrease ranked nation that can have the chance to host a house recreation for his or her followers in opposition to one of many prime nations. This, I agree, is an actual bonus. The primary recreation could be performed at residence for the decrease ranked nation. The second and deciding recreation could be performed at residence for the upper ranked nation.
Not solely is that this dangerous for the ecological footprint of our sport, however it’s going to add prices for each nations who now each should spend money on journey & lodging for the away recreation in addition to the numerous prices of internet hosting a prime occasion at residence. Each can have the revenues of internet hosting a prime occasion at residence as properly, however for lots of nations these may not cowl the fee I worry…
A 3rd change will make issues attainable much more sophisticated. Possibly extra balanced as properly, so it may very well be well worth the headache of explaining it although. The third change is in the best way international locations will likely be chosen to play these FIH Qualifiers. As a result of right here the FIH will decide the variety of international locations per continent allowed to play the Qualifiers primarily based upon the worldwide rating. that means it might very properly be the next ranked nation wouldn’t be allowed to play the FIH qualifiers if his continental quota has been crammed and as a substitute their spot would go to a decrease ranked nation from one other continent. Nonetheless the FIH feels this may add pleasure to the continental championships as a result of, getting into these, every nation will know what is anticipated of them to both qualify instantly (win) or get picked up for the FIH qualifiers… Ah properly, we would have to attend for the written guidelines regarding this to truly decide what’s what.
Abstract
So to sum up… we received some excellent news with a brand new and improved international rating as of subsequent 12 months. And we received some dangerous information with poorly deliberate and dearer FIH Qualifiers. However what stings essentially the most is the whole disregard of the FIH for the extraordinarily vital home membership competitors. I’m repeating myself, but it surely’s value repeating till heard… These home membership leagues are the muse of our recreation. If we don’t respect the home leagues our recreation of hockey will rush in the direction of the top of hockey as we all know it…