Editorial

Sports pages have been dominated in the last few weeks with argument and counter arguments regarding video technology. 

In rugby union, England’s coach Andy Robinson, among others, launched a withering attack on the South African referee following a recent international against Ireland.

You also only have to think of several recent incidents involving football and umpiring decisions in cricket to understand the volume of debate this issue creates. 

Did the players cheat? How could the referee have missed it? Let alone the referee’s assistant. Why wasn’t the disputed catch referred to the third umpire? If the technology is available then why isn’t it used more often? Should hockey follow suit? 

The subject continues to be keenly debated and much work has already been put in to this area by Peter von Reth and his colleagues. Mercifully, hotly contested and controversial decisions were, for the most part, avoided at the Athens Olympics and the game’s reputation for fair play emerged untarnished. 

However, in view of the problems encountered in other sports, hockey should be taking another careful and considered look at technology. It would be a travesty if a major tournament was to be ruined by a terrible decision which could have been avoided. What’s your view? 

Talking of major events, we have a preview of the men’s Sahara Hockey Champions Challenge in Alexandria and still in Africa, Jenny King, the new South Africa women’s coach and one of the few women on the international circuit, reveals her thoughts about meeting new challenges. 

The USA, who host the women’s BDO Hockey Champions Challenge in July, has taken on the hugely experienced former Australian Olympian Terry Walsh. After steering the Australian and Dutch men’s sides to Olympic medals at the last two Games, Walsh talks about his new job. 

Enjoy all this issue has to offer and please do continue to write in with your comments which are always welcome. With plenty more tournament action to come this year, WorldHockey Online correspondents will be on the spot to provide the inside story. 

Cathy Harris
Editor