Field Hockey at 2008 Summer Games: The history of hockey dates back to the twenty-first century B.C. Hockey is the oldest sport played with a ball and a stick. In hockey, two teams play against each other, trying to get hold of a ball or a hard round disc. The ball or the disc is known as the "puck". The aim of the hockey match is to drive the ball into the opponent's goal. Field hockey is the most dominant version of the sport. Field hockey is generally referred to as "hockey". As a sport event, hockey became popular during the nineteenth century. Women started playing hockey in the twentieth century. At present, the game is played in many countries around the world.
Field hockey is generally played with a ball on natural grass fields. Nowadays, the game is also held on sand based or water based artificial turfs. The ball used on the artificial surface is a hard, small ball. The sport is dominated by India, Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, European countries and countries in South Asia. Women are in the leading position in field hockey in the United States and Canada. Field hockey is governed by the International Hockey Federation or the FIH. The International Federation of Women's Hockey Associations or the IFWHA is the governing body of field hockey for women at the international level.
Field Hockey in the Summer Games: Men's field hockey was included in the Olympic program at the 1908 London Summer Games. The event was irregular at the Games till the 1928 Amsterdam Games. Since the 1928 Olympics, field hockey has been regularly contested by men at the Summer Games. Women's hockey was introduced to the Olympics during the 1980 Moscow Summer Games. At the 1976 Montreal Olympics, for the first time, the game was played on artificial turf.
Rules of Field Hockey: The International Hockey Federation or the FIH has set the rules for international hockey competitions. Some of the rules followed during the field hockey matches are-
- The hockey field has to be rectangular in shape. The length and the breadth of the field are determined by the FIH.
- The hockey field should be properly marked.
- The hockey team should consist of eleven players.
- The goal keeper can wear the protective equipments like headgear, leg guards and kickers etc. However, he is allowed to play only with the headgear on. The goal keeper has to wear a shirt different in color from the teams' uniforms.
- Teams can substitute any player at any time during the game, except the time of penalty. The number of substitution allowed during the game is not limited.
- Umpires are appointed during the game to monitor the players and the game.
- The size of the ball and the sticks used during the game are specified by the FIH.
- Generally, a hockey match has two parts of 35 minutes each with an interval of 5 minutes.
- The movements of the players with the ball during the game have to be in accordance with the FIH rule book for the game.
- During the game, players are not allowed to touch or interfere with the other players' clothing or sticks.
- Fouls committed by the players during the game are penalized by offering penalty corners, penalty strokes or free hits to the offended side.
- A player committing any offence during the game can be warned or suspended from the game. However, a serious offence can lead to long term suspension.
Medal winners in Field Hockey: Australia, the Netherlands, Germany, India, Pakistan, New Zealand, Korea and South Africa are the leading countries in the domain of men's field hockey. The women's hockey tournament has been dominated by Australia, Netherlands, Argentina and Germany. Gwen Cheeseman Alexander, Beth Anders, Ruth Heller Aucott, Beth Beglin, Adele Boyd, Robin Cash, Gertrude Dunn, Frances Elliott, Vonnie Gros, Mary Ann Leight Harris, Sheryl Johnson, Anita Corl Huntsman, Jill Grant Lindenfeld, Phyllis Stadler Lyon, Chris Larson Mason, Betty C. Miller, Charlene Morett, Joan Moser, Patricia Kenworthy Nuckols, Eleanore Pepper, Marcy Place, Chickie Geraci Poisson, F. Elizabeth Richey, Alison Hersey Risch, Nancy Sawin, Betty Shellenberger, Karen C. Shelton, Julie Staver, Barbara Strebeigh, Joan Edenborn Stiles, Bonnie Smith Taylor, Anne B. Townsend, Anne McConaghie Volp and Alice Putnam Willetts are some of the famous hockey players at the international level. Among the Indian hockey players, Dhyan Chand, Leslie Claudius, Balbir Singh Sr., Ajit Pal Singh, Udham Singh, K. D. Singh Babu, Mohammed Shahid and Dhanraj Pillay have become famous for their performance at the international level.
