Olympic Qualification

Waitakere United Match Day Programme, April 2^nd 2008

By Andrew Dewhurst

Where to start this week, there is so much going on in the game at the moment that I am wondering what not to write about. Let’s go with the positive, god knows we haven’t had too much of that lately!

Confirmation that the NZOC will allow both the NZ men’s and women’s teams to play at the Beijing Olympics was greeted with delight and relief given there had been much speculation that one or perhaps neither would be allowed to attend the games, despite having met all qualification criteria laid down by FIFA.

And that is surely the key, both teams qualified as per the criteria laid down by governing body FIFA. History will tell you that FIFA is a tough task master and does not suffer fools, if they think it right and proper that Oceania has direct entry to the Olympics, who is the NZOC to meddle?

The NZOC’s role in the selection process is understandable however; they will be responsible for all who wear the silver fern in Beijing. They have to outfit, transport and host the wider New Zealand Olympic team while on Olympic duty.

It is only right then that they should sit over the selection process to be sure in their own mind that no sporting organization is setting the bar so low as to ensure a ‘free ride’ or a holiday for an undeserving athlete or team at the Games.

But football is not governed by some amateur committee that meets once a month in the community hall over a cup of tea and biscuits, working out how they can get Uncle Joe or Cousin Beryl off to the Games and a fleeting appearance on TV before they collapse in a heap 50m into the marathon!

The hard work and effort in qualifying should not and thankfully has not gone to waste. Sure, there is a case that the women have not exactly worked overly hard to qualify with just the one win over heavyweights Papua New Guinea – but that is FIFA’s problem to fix, not the NZOC.

The bigger picture here is the implication that the Olympic Games should become increasingly elite. More and more we are hearing that you must finish in the top 16 or make a final in your event to justify selection. Since when has this been the Olympic code?

If this was applied carte blanche over the years Peter Snell would never have been in Rome and who knows, might then have never made it to Tokyo.

Congratulations to both New Zealand teams and best of luck in Beijing, as teams and as individuals. Because with scouts watching closely, it is the players as well as the teams who have the potential to be big winners through impressive performances.