Summer Olympic Sports >>Hockey

Hockey is the oldest known ball and stick game.  Records exist of it having been played in Persia in 2000 BC.  The name hockey probably derives from the French hocquet, or shepherd’s crook, and refers to the crooked stick which is used to hit a small ball.  The game became more organized late in the 19th century and became an Olympic sport in 1908.  Until the 1970s, the game at international level was mainly played on natural grass, but has become an even more exciting and Skilful India dominated the sport for three decades, winning all six Olympic gold medals and 30 consecutive games from 1928 to 1956.  The first Balbir Singh, who was followed by four more players of the same name who also played for victorious Indian teams, scored five goals in a 6-1 gold-medal victory over the Netherlands in Helsinki in 1952.

COMPETITION

Men’s event: Teams are placed into two pools of six for the preliminary rounds.  Each team plays the other teams in that pool.  The top two teams in each pool proceed to the semi-finals.  The remaining teams play classification matches for places 5 - 12.  Semi-final winners play for the gold and silver medals.  Semi-final losers play for the bronze.

Women’s event: Teams are placed into two pools of five for the preliminary rounds.  Each team plays the other teams in that pool.  The top two teams in each pool proceed to the semi-finals.  The remaining teams play classification matches for places 5 - 10.  Semi-final winners play for the gold and silver medals.  Semi-finals losers play for the bronze.

LIST OF EVENTS

• Hockey Men

• Hockey Women