Black Sticks coach Kevin Towns has fired a salvo at the Dutch hockey federation who have succeeded in coercing the international body to allow all 24 Olympic hockey teams to have two extra players in Beijing as standby replacements.
The 17th and 18th players will not be "Olympians"unless they get to play, at which point the player they replace will be sent packing, and not be eligible for a medal.
Already the ruling has led teams, including the Australian women and both Great Britain teams, to name only one goalkeeper in their 16-strong squads. Their second goalkeeper, and one field player, will be left on the outside looking in with only a "P" Olympic accreditation.
They will not be part of the team and cannot stay in the village. They can attend matches only as paying spectators.
"The whole thing is a crock," said Towns who plans to name only 16 players, including two goalkeepers. "So many things are against what they are doing. How is the team going to feel at the end of each day when two players turn into pumpkins? I see it as a real issue.
"I intend at this stage to take 18 players to Hong Kong [for final warm-up matches] but only 16 to Beijing."
New Zealand men's coach Shane McLeod is likely to press for the extra players when he and his fellow selectors name their squad.
"We have been in touch with Shane and that seems to be his preference," said Hockey New Zealand chief executive Ramesh Patel. "But we have yet to decide whether these extra players will be based in Beijing, Hong Kong or New Zealand."
With a likely cost of between $5000-$6000 for each player and given the lack of security for them, there will be some careful consideration before HNZ gives its okay.
The Black Sticks teams will be selected this weekend and are expected to be named by the NZ Olympic Committee early next week.
