Is this the beginning of the end of hockey as we know it?

The introduction of Hockey 5s for the first time at a senior international tournament in the Pacific Games in Papua New Guinea this summer was a potentially ground-breaking moment in the history of hockey. It is a format that was also used in last year’s Summer Youth Olympics in Nanjing, China, although the International Hockey Federation (FIH) have since moved to introduce a six-a-side format for such future competitions.

It could be the start of a move away from the traditional eleven-a-side hockey that is currently regarded as the norm.

With continued pressure for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to curb athlete numbers at Olympic Games, could this new version of hockey replace the current version at Games in the future?

Click the icon to the right to download a transcript of Richard Ewart’s article, published in Field Hockey Magazine on 17 July 2015, titled “New Format The Key To A Brighter Future For Pacific Hockey?”

Pat Rowley, 14 December 2015