xtratime Logo

[caption id="attachment_3480" align="alignnone" width="580"] Indian men's hockey team clubbed with holders Germany and Netherlands in Pool B at the Rio Olympics. File Pic.[/caption] Internet Desk: Eight-time champions India find themselves pitted in a very strong group in the Rio Olympics. India has been clubbed alongside title holders Germany and world no.2 Netherlands in Pool B at the mens hockey competitons of 2016 Rio Olympics. Besides Germany and Netherlands other teams that are placed in India’s group are Argentina (ranked 6th), Ireland (12) and Canada (14). The teams in Pool A are reigning world and Hockey World League champions Australia, currently ranked number one in the world, Great Britain (4), 2015 Hockey World League runners up Belgium (5); New Zealand (8); Spain (11) and hosts Brazil (32). The hockey event in Rio Olympics will be played according to the new format i.e knock quarterfinal round and India just need to beat lower-ranked Ireland and Canada to qualify for the last eight stage. Meanwhile, the Indian eves, the lowest ranked team in Rio, have been placed alongside Argentina (2), Australia (3), Great Britain (6), USA (7) and Japan (10) in Pool B. While Pool A in the womens section consists of defending Olympic and reigning world champions Netherlands, 2015 Hockey World League runners up New Zealand (4), China (5), Germany (8), Korea (9) and Spain (14). The International Hockey Federation (FIH) confirmed the line-up yesterday after Spain women and New Zealand men teams have officially accepted invitations to participate in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games hockey events. Spain women and New Zealand men were invited to participate following the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee’s (SASCOC) decision to reject invitations for South Africa’s men and women hockey teams, a statement from the FIH read.