THE Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) took early pre cautions to bid for the Olympic Qualifier, even before their men played their first match in the Asian Games in China.The Asian Games offers one ticket to the Olympics, and it would be tough for Malaysia to snatch it from the jaws of South Korea, India and Pakistan.
Only Japan, who hosted the 2008 Olympic Qualifiers, are the other bidder and the International Hockey Federation (FIH) will decide on the host today.
Malaysia have never hosted an Olympic Qualifier.
And that is why, the MHF president Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad and general manager Maninderjit Singh are in Switzerland to lobby for the bid.
The FIH will also be announcing the host countries for the Men’s and Women’s FIH World Cups, which will take place in 2014.
The FIH has received two bids for the showpiece events, with England and The Netherlands both giving a clear commitment to stage the tournaments.
“Both the president and manager are in Switzerland and the early indications are that Malaysia have an added edge because we have never hosted the event, while Japan hosted in in 2008,” said an MHF official who declined to be named as the council have yet to appoint some key positions after its Biennial General Meeting on Oct 31.
In the Asian Games, Malaysia have a relatively easy passage into the semi-finals as they should beat Singapore and Oman, and then afford a defeat against South Korea.
Their final match is against China, and it is expected to decided on the second semi-finalists from Group A.
Pakistan and India are the strong contenders for the semi- finals from Group B which also has Japan, Bangladesh and Hong Kong.
