Ireland must play off in South Africa

Ireland have lost their place in next year's World Cup finals and must now play off in an eight-nation tournament in South Africa in February in an attempt to regain qualification for 'Perth 2002' following a ruling by the International Hockey Federation's disciplinary committee yesterday.

The FIH dismissed the protest lodged, successfully at the time, by Ireland on September 29th against the running of the penalty strokes competition at the end of their match against Lithuania at the World Cup Qualifier in France. However, because Lithuania's "behaviour has been such that they ought not automatically qualify for the 10th World Cup," the committee ruled that they, too, should "join other nations in a further qualification event".

The ruling means that both Ireland and Lithuania have been added to the line-up of February's Champions Challenge in Johannesburg where England, Germany, India, Korea, South Africa and the United States are scheduled to play. England, Germany, Korea and South Africa have already qualified for the World Cup so the top two finishers, amongst Ireland, Lithuania, India and the United States, will join them in the line-up for the 16-nation finals in Perth, Australia.

"It's an absolutely unbelievable decision," said Irish coach Riet Kuper last night, a view echoed by vice-captain Arlene Boyles who described the committee's ruling as "bonkers".

"I am totally devastated," said Irish Hockey Association president Joan McCloy, "but I couldn't begin to imagine how the players feel - it's just a dreadful state of affairs. We have always played by the rules and did so again in France - and this is what we get."

When asked, McCloy would not rule out the possibility of the IHA taking the FIH to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne to challenge the decision. "It is our only avenue of appeal now, and it is one we will consider when we meet over the weekend. We behaved perfectly in France and abided by the rules and all we got in return was this convoluted ruling that makes no sense whatsoever."

"The colour drained from my face when I heard it," said Boyles, "it's an absolute joke. They have over-ruled the tournament director at the Qualifier and, in doing that, they may as well say the rules count for nothing any more. It is patently unfair and they have set a dire precedent in the sport. It's a joke, a diabolical joke."

"In all my life I have never, ever heard of a decision like this. Not in my wildest dreams did I expect this decision," said Kuper, who added that she hoped the IHA would take the FIH to Lausanne to "fight it out", believing that they had a cast-iron case. "It is absolutely ridiculous, they have over-ruled the decision of the tournament director who simply stuck to the rules."