KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 30 — The Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) has confirmed the national men's and women's squads will be part of the Podium Programme until January next year in preparation for the Olympic Games qualification for Paris 2024.
MHC president Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal said the Speedy Tigers and Malaysian Tigress squads must showcase their best performances to secure a spot in the Paris Olympics, as the National Sports Council (MSN) will reassess their positions in the programme after the qualification concludes.
"Alhamdulillah, we thank MSN because, in discussions with MSN Director-General Abdul Rashid Yaakub, the men's team have been in the Podium Programme since 2017, but the women's team has not. We appealed for it, and it was approved during the meeting.
"The women's team were initially supposed to be in the Podium Programme only from June to October 2023 in preparation for the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games. However, they are given the same opportunity as the men's team until the Olympic Qualifications in January next year.
"The outcome will certainly influence the review of their status in the Podium Programme," he said to the press after the Sports Committee Meeting at MSN, Bukit Jalil today
The men's hockey team will participate in the Olympic Qualifications in Muscat, Oman, from January 15 to January 21 next year. They have been drawn in Group A together with Great Britain, Pakistan, and China.
Meanwhile, the women's hockey team, set to play in Valencia, Spain, from January 13 to January 24 next year, is drawn in Group B with Great Britain, Spain, and Canada.
Teams finishing in the top three positions in each Olympic qualification tournament will earn slots for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
— Bernama
[caption id="attachment_328262" align="aligncenter" width="794"]
The national women's hockey squad in action against Singapore during the third Group A match of the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games at the Gongshu Canal Sports Park Stadium in Hangzhou, China, on October 1, 2023. — Picture via FACEBOOK/MALAYSIAN HOCKEY CONFEDERATION[/caption]
