Qualification row will force South African sides to miss out on Olympics

While Ireland’s men are still riding high on the back of Olympic qualification, the same can’t be said of South Africa.

The two nations have numerous hockey links; many of the current South African men’s side have plied their trade with clubs here while two of the last three Ireland men’s coaches — including the man who piloted the journey to Rio, Craig Fulton — hail from the Rainbow nation.

However, Fulton and his Irish side must be glad that Ireland’s Olympic council haven’t followed their South African equivalent, SASCOC, in refusing to allow their men’s and women’s teams to travel to Rio, despite both meeting the International Hockey Federation’s (FIH) qualifying criteria.