Brazil Men Book Hockey Berth for Rio Olympics 2016
Brazil beat USA in a shootout to book semifinal spot at the Pan Am Games and ensure their participation in Rio Olympics in 2016. Semifinal spot at the Pan Am Games satisfies host nation participation criteria for Rio 2016.
The International Hockey Federation (FIH) have confirmed on Wednesday that host nation Brazil men have qualified for the hockey event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Brazil defeated USA in a shootout in the quarter finals of the Pan Am Games in Toronto Wednesday morning, thereby qualifying for the semifinal and additionally confirming their place in the hockey event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Brazil's place in the semi-final at the Pan Am Games satisfies the host nation participation criteria established by IOC and FIH. Having qualified for their continental championship -- the Pan Am Games -- Brazil then had to achieve a top six finish. Qualification for the semi-finals ensures at least fourth place for Brazil and they take their place in the 12 team line-up in Rio next summer.
Brazil men join the six teams (Germany, Netherlands, Argentina, Australia, Belgium and Great Britain) who qualified for Rio 2016 at the recent Hockey World League Semi-Final events in Buenos Aires and Antwerp.
India have also qualified for the Olympics by virtue of winning the Asian Games gold last year. Pakistan have failed to qualify for the first time.
Brazil men will be the sole host nation team taking part in the hockey event as Brazil women failed to achieve the qualification criteria. New Zealand women who came fourth at the Hockey World League Semi-Final in Antwerp take the qualification place as per the qualification process.
The remaining four Olympic places (men and women) will not be finalised until after the Continental Championships which finish in October this year.