Spain livid as Britain makes it to semis
Source: Agencies |
August 9, 2012, Thursday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
BRITAIN'S men's hockey team reached its first Olympic semifinal in 24 years with a 1-1 draw against Spain in a thrilling game on Tuesday which was marked by late controversy.
Spain was awarded two penalty corners in the last two minutes but the umpires, encircled by British players, changed their decisions to give the hosts a free hit instead.
At the end, Spain coach Dani Martin stormed onto the pitch to confront the officials and keep his players from doing so.
He threatened "serious consequences" if the organizers did not explain the disputed decisions and implied favoritism towards the hosts, who were cheered on by a 16,000-strong crowd.
Earlier, world champion Australia booked a semifinal place after sending Pakistan packing with a crushing 7-0 victory that erased doubts about its billing as tournament favorites following two pool-stage draws.
World No. 1 side Australia will play reigning Olympic champion Germany today in a battle between the world's top ranked teams, while Britain faces the Netherlands, the only side yet to drop a point, in the other semifinal.
Britain needed a draw to progress while Spain, which lost two key players to injury at the start of the tournament, had to win and was perplexed over why the umpires changed their decisions.
"The (International Hockey Federation) needs to take this very seriously because it is a very serious situation," Martin told reporters. "It cannot happen that an international official changes his decision twice just because he is surrounded by British players."
Spain was awarded two penalty corners in the last two minutes but the umpires, encircled by British players, changed their decisions to give the hosts a free hit instead.
At the end, Spain coach Dani Martin stormed onto the pitch to confront the officials and keep his players from doing so.
He threatened "serious consequences" if the organizers did not explain the disputed decisions and implied favoritism towards the hosts, who were cheered on by a 16,000-strong crowd.
Earlier, world champion Australia booked a semifinal place after sending Pakistan packing with a crushing 7-0 victory that erased doubts about its billing as tournament favorites following two pool-stage draws.
World No. 1 side Australia will play reigning Olympic champion Germany today in a battle between the world's top ranked teams, while Britain faces the Netherlands, the only side yet to drop a point, in the other semifinal.
Britain needed a draw to progress while Spain, which lost two key players to injury at the start of the tournament, had to win and was perplexed over why the umpires changed their decisions.
"The (International Hockey Federation) needs to take this very seriously because it is a very serious situation," Martin told reporters. "It cannot happen that an international official changes his decision twice just because he is surrounded by British players."
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