PRESS
RELEASE
DATE: 25 January 2005
EMBARGO: No Embargo
The following briefly summarises the main outcomes of
the GBOHL meeting held at Bisham Abbey on 22 January 2005.
The Associations Response to the FIH regarding relinquishing
rights to participate in World Cup Events
1.
Scottish
Hockey confirmed that a thorough evaluation of their current business plan
had been undertaken which had been designed to meet objectives already
agreed with Sports Scotland for funding purposes ending 12/2006. The
Minister for Sport in Scotland further reconfirmed these objectives to
Scottish Hockey in a meeting held 23 December 2004
2.
In
January 2005 Scottish Hockey called an EGM of their members who voted
unanimously not to relinquish their right to participate in the World Cup.
3.
Wales confirmed that their members at an AGM held on
Jan 8 2005 voted to give their Executive Board the powers to decide an
outcome on the members’ behalf. In
this regard Wales wished to secure
·
A satisfactory outcome of an overall review of hockey
within UK and thorough analysis of GB’s performance structure;
·
A restructuring of the way in which hockey is
developed within the UK, such that it provides as a minimum equal
opportunities to all to aspire to the highest level possible.
4.
England reluctantly accepted the decision of Wales and
Scotland but remained very positive that, as the nominated country, the GB
programme had, in fact, started and therefore wanted the Board to agree
solutions acceptable to the 3 Associations in the detail for operations of
producing medal-winning teams.
5.
All Associations agreed that they would co-ordinate a
suitable response to FIH to be released as soon as possible.
6.
The GB Board noted the responses and agreed that the
decisions made, and any future alternatives reconstruction issues the
countries might wish to discuss, were solely for the Associations as
members of FIH to agree.
7.
The Board wished to now focus on their prime purpose to identify
solutions that will allow for best performance and opportunity at Olympic
level by all the athletes in England, Scotland and Wales, given the
parameters set by the Associations.
Review of the process agreed for GB Olympic
qualification 2008
8.
The Associations confirmed their continuing confidence
in England being the nominated country to FIH for both Men and
Women to secure the Olympic qualification for GB.
9.
The Board considered a Focus report relating to the
nominated country, England, of their performance programme of all Senior
and U21 Men and Women programmes leading to the World Cup September 2006.
10.
The Board were particularly interested to consider the
programme in relation to the new qualification rules for World Cup
and Olympic Games i.e. results arising from the Euro Nations Cup now held
every second year with effect from 2005. Key points noted were:
1.
England, they’re nominated country, to secure the OG
qualification represented circa 85% of GB playing resource.
2.
Reviewed England 2 year historical performance and
noted the time frame between
·
Senior Women had ranked higher in the Women’s World
Cup November 2002 than the subsequent 2004 Women’s Olympic Champions –
Germany in August 2004
·
Senior Men had secured a bronze medal in the Men’s
European Nations Cup in September 2003 having beaten Holland twice in the
tournament. Holland went on
to win a silver medal in August 2004.
·
The Board acknowledged the potential, as it seemed the
teams have been in touching distance and that there is evidence a short
time can allow opportunity for recovery?
3.
In view of the challenge and risks to the nominated
team to secure qualification under the intensive nature of the tournament
schedule, the Board agreed that, in order to achieve the best results, the
England Performance Unit should have maximum opportunity to provide
consistency of management in athlete development at all levels for as long
a period as possible before any Olympic Qualifier.
4.
Acknowledged the need for consistency in the coaching
leadership to develop and consolidate team play leading to both match and
tournament winning experience.
5.
This principle has been a fundamental thrust of world
best practice and reiterated in many of the various expert consultant
reports submitted to the Board.
6.
External reports had also been considered again by the
Board. The Board, however, regretted that many of the recommendations and
observations written did not consider sufficiently the reality of
·
The FIH new Olympic qualification requirement
·
The fundamental performance aspects that are relevant
to team sports
·
Nor the impact of government political policy with
regard to devolution
7.
The current international objectives of both Scotland
and Wales were also reviewed by the Board
8.
The Board was of the view that, given the respective
objectives of the three Associations to include World, European, and
Commonwealth Games events alongside club international programmes at all
levels (including Indoor), that it would become too complex to integrate a
full GB programme of value which could well defeat more than it would
create.
9.
In this regard, the potential risks to performance
caused by envisaged short-term disturbance of team leadership were
considered in relation to the advantage of sustaining consistency of
athlete coaching and development particularly to the nominated country.
The
Current Performance Position
The Board identified and recognized the difficulties and practicalities
of meeting the new WC+OG qualification process every 2 years and gave
unfettered support to England, the nominated country, effectively until
Sept 2007 and noted -
1.
To the extent that the Board had no
current resource there could be no immediate performance expectancy
necessarily from GB prior to the OG qualification being achieved by the
nominated country.
2.
To the extent that all Associations
compete in the same competitions, the reality was that the Associations
respective Performance Units were responsible for identifying worlds’
best practice in delivering performance outcomes to their respective
nations.
3.
Any funding required for this being agreed between the
associations and their respective government Sports bodies.
4.
It was now in the interest of GB to produce high performance
athletes that each Association concentrate on their own performance
objectives agreed with their respective government Sports bodies for
international success at all levels.
5.
The Board, in the meantime, will
consider a policy for both the interim and post qualification, bearing in
mind the need for GB activity will be relatively dormant for some time
where the best capabilities should be focused on the qualification effort.
6.
The Board will review its approach to:
·
The future appointments of the GB
Team Coaches and team management recognizing the need to appoint early but
be commercial to finalise the timing.
·
A player selection process, given GB
qualify for OG in 2008, to allow the athletes from all countries to
challenge for places in the team and therefore participate at the very
highest level.
·
Identify and appoint persons,
preferably a combination of successful Olympians or persons with World
level experience, to support the delivery of performance
·
Continue dialogue with the
Associations and government in an appropriate approach to the future
funding requirement for GB should Olympic qualification be achieved
Board Outline Immediate Objectives
1.
To write for GBOHL (effectively an independent service
company) a GB business plan to deal with the foregoing and to synergise
into the three Associations own business plans in consideration of their
stated commitment for GB activity.
2.
A restructure of the Board and administration
requirement designed to meet the business plan objectives to allow for
suitable, not dominated by corporate governance, but designed to address
the primary purpose to co-ordinate the delivery of Performance on behalf
of England-Scotland-Wales.
Full discussion as to the affordability with the
Associations and government partners in the detail and costing of the GB
business plan.
