Asian Games to become hockey qualifying event for 2024 Olympics, confirms FIH President

Ikram Tayyab, president of the International Hockey Federation (FIH), stated on Sunday that the hockey arena for the upcoming Hangzhou Asian Games is virtually ready and that there is no question about the continental multi-sport event serving as a qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympics. The Asian Games, which were supposed to take place in the Chinese city of Hangzhou last year but were postponed because of the country's deteriorating COVID-19 situation, are expected to take place from September 23 to October 8.

Tayyab, a Macau resident of Pakistani origin, is currently a member of the Hangzhou Asian Games Coordination Committee, which is led by Randhir Singh, former Indian Olympic Association secretary general and current Olympic Council of Asia acting chief.

"Asian Games is on, 100 per cent on. I happen to be a senior member of the Hangzhou Asian Games Coordination Committee and I am continuing in that role," Tayyab said at a press conference ahead of the FIH Men's World Cup final here.

"This March, we (Asian Games Coordination Committee) are going to have a meeting in Hangzhou in China. The venue was almost ready in the beginning of last year, so there is no problem regarding Asian Games serving as qualifier of the 2014 Paris Olympics." "Of course, there was a time we were thinking of having another tournament as Olympic qualifiers in case China is not able to host the Asian Games," said Tayyab who was the CEO of the Asian Hockey Federation until being elected IHF president last year, succeeding India's Narinder Batra.

Olympic qualifying events are typically held at Asian Games, however, confusion arose when the Hangzhou Asian Games were moved from last year to this year owing to the COVID-19 crisis in China.

According to the FIH's qualification system for the Paris Games, the competition will feature 12 men's and women's teams.

The host country France will receive a direct berth in both sections. Additionally, five continental champions from Africa, Pan America, Asia, Europe, and Oceania will also qualify directly.

The FIH will hold two Olympic Qualification Tournaments with eight teams each (a total of 16 teams) in early 2024 to fill the remaining six spots.

The number of teams representing each continent at these competitions will be set by continental quotas, which will be based on the FIH World Rankings on January 31, 2023. Performance at the continental championships will determine which teams fill each quota and are subsequently invited to compete. The top three teams from each of these competitions will advance.