LDOG

Malaysia already 4-1 up before half-time. Japan is a low level team, Pakistan really shouldn't have lost to them.

Unfortunately, yes. One team will start the playoffs knowing it's pointless for them.

Because their NOC is only interested in sending world class athletes to the OG and they think that in most sports african qualifiers have insignificant level. It's not that the south african hockey federation rejects them, they actually want to go in any way, it's the NOC that imposes the standard. I don't know how this policy originated but it has more than two decades of being this way, though sometimes they have relaxed it a bit. As for the other question, it varies with each international federation but I think FIH in particular is flexible with them because they don't really want african teams at the OG either, but who knows.

Yeah, last time world qualification took place before continental so it didn't matter, but back in 2012 continental was first, they declined it and then were allowed to participate in world qualification too.

As long as they participate in hockey series and win there, I don't know how they could be denied a place in play-offs regardless of what they do with continental quota.

Although this is confusing to read, I think josh is right... so, no 8th play-off. Just an extra quota for whoever loses the play-offs and is ranked high. Draw stays like I described but if South Africa declines continental then Chile goes a tier down, one team of pot 4 is out and that's it: Pot 1 Pot 2 ( ) Pot 3 Pot 4

Wait, this is even more confusing to me: if you read the section below about host country quota it seems like by "qualification events" they only mean the play-offs (because they say they are "6/7")

hmm now that I see closer you may be right. The use of the term "for the olympic qualification events" makes it harder to understand. They should have just said "reallocated as below".

So, to sum up: Decline continental quota ---> quota adds to play-offs Decline play-off quota ---> quota is given to highest ranked non-qualified

This document is a bit ambiguous: http://www.fih.ch/media/8997773/180406-ioc-approved-qualification-system.pdf In the reallocation section, my interpretation is that any declined continental quota (when there isn't top 20 runner up in the continent) is reallocated to qualification play-offs (therefore rising their number of matches by 1) and then if a team that qualifies through play-offs declines the quota they won in them, only then the highest ranked non-qualified team gets the spot automatically.

So, 7 places for qualification play-offs now. Possibly 8 if South Africa gives up african quota (no african nation ranked in top 20 after them). Excluding the top ranked nations from each continent we would have this for the draw of play-offs (assuming all these nations don't fail to advance at hockey series): Pot 1 Pot 2 ( ) Pot 3 Pot 4 Pot 1 teams can only draw pot 4 teams and pot 2 only pot 3. If South Africa gives up african quota China and Italy go a tier up and one more team is allowed in (because there would be 8 quotas).

Galatasaray IMO is the weakest team in that group, I say Schalke advances (and even in 1st place above Porto). Other than that I also give edge to Ajax over Benfica and to Lyon over Hoffenheim because of experience. And watch out for Man Utd if Mourinho isn't fired soon...

Those teams aren't as weak as they seem, especially Ajax has a good team for this season.

Serbian club will finish with -20 GD...

If Malaysia wins the final the olympic play-offs will become very complex on the men's side. You may say, "but South Africa will reject african quota so problem solved". No, if they do that the african quota will go to the 2nd placed team as long as they are ranked within top 20, which Egypt is. So, let's say ARG, AUS and BEL win the other continental quotas, We will still have Netherlands, India, Germany, England, NZ, Spain, Ireland, Pakistan, Canada and France all fighting for 6 places.

What a waste of an olympic quota

Pakistan playing very bad at half time mark 0-1, please wake up. (there is YouTube livestream, finally I can watch some hockey )

More than the result i'm surprised with the fact that it was a very even game in number of shots, penalty corners, etc. Normally these upsets in hockey happen when one team misses a ton of opportunities and also the straight-to-penalties format has favored upsets last few years, but it wasn't the case today. Malaysia is usually very bad against teams ranked above them except with India, for some reason.

Typical local right winger, wave argentinian flags in protests because they "defend the republic" but then are the first ones that want out of the country

He has negative h2h against all other top 10 players except Thiem against some of them very negative.

Raonic is overall better player than both Isner and Anderson. Only thing is his body is made of glass. For he has much more chances to win GS than the other two.

The two teams that reserved players at the world cup lost the semifinals, the tactic was useless... I hope Japan wins the final because I'd love more drama for the olympic play-offs, but I'm pretty sure India will win instead.

It's sad, but you will be happy to know that Poland beat Cyprus 17-0 today (?)

Pakistan has a good coach now (they stopped putting in charge awful pakistani coaches like the past few years) and their federation is slightly more organized now. On the other hand Korea is in total decline, I wouldn't be surprised if both their teams miss the OG for the first time in over 30 years.

And finally... the day came: Ginobili retires from basketball. Euroleague, Olympic and NBA x 4 champion, NBA All-Star x2. Up there with Gasol as the most succesful non-american basketball player ever. Even though I'm not a huge basketball fan he was protagonist of some of the fondest childhood memories I have about sport. Farewell Manu