Field hockey at the Summer Olympics explained

Size:150
Code:HOC
Sport:field hockey
Menevents:1
Womenevents:1

Field hockey was introduced at the Olympic Games as a men's competition at the 1908 Games in London.

History

Field hockey was removed from the Summer Olympic Games at the 1924 Paris Games because of the lack of an international sporting structure. The International Hockey Federation (FIH, Fédération Internationale de Hockey) was founded in Paris that year as a response to field hockey's omission. Men's field hockey became a permanent feature at the next Olympic Games, the 1928 Games in Amsterdam.

India won the gold medal in seven out of eight Olympics from 1928 to 1964. Later, Pakistan was also dominant, winning three gold and three silver medals between 1956 and 1984. India lost their dominance after the 1980s and Pakistan after the 1990s. India won their last gold medal in 1980 and Pakistan in 1984 Games. However, India has since once again won the bronze medal at both the 2020 and 2024 games.

Since 1968, various teams from around the world have seen gold-medal success. Several countries in the Southern Hemisphere have won various medals in men's and women's field hockey, including Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, and Zimbabwe. A leading group of teams from the Northern Hemisphere has come from the Netherlands and from Germany.

Spain has appeared in the most Olympic men's competitions without winning the men's gold medal, having won silver three times in 1980, 1996, 2008 and bronze once in 1960. Australia had competed in 12 Olympics without winning gold before breaking their streak in 2004.

The first women's Olympic field hockey competition was introduced by the IOC at the 1980 Summer Olympics. Olympic field hockey games were first played on artificial turf at the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games.

Until the 1988 Olympics the tournament was invitational but FIH introduced a qualification system at the 1992 games.The Netherlands is the leading team in overall medal tally with 20 medals (8 gold, 6 silver and 6 bronze). Both India and the Netherlands have 8 gold medals.[1]

Men

Results

YearHostwidth=1% rowspan=29Gold medal matchwidth=1% rowspan=29Bronze medal matchwidth=1% rowspan=29width=6% rowspan=2Number of teams
width=14%Gold medalwidth=10%Scorewidth=14%Silver medalwidth=14%Bronze medalwidth=10%Scorewidth=14%Fourth place
1908
Details
London, Great Britain
(England)
8–1
(Ireland)

(Scotland)

(Wales)
6
1912Stockholm, SwedenNo tournamentNo tournament
1920
Details
Antwerp, Belgium4
1924Paris, FranceNo tournamentNo tournament
1928
Details
Amsterdam, Netherlands3–03–09
1932
Details
Los Angeles, United States3
1936
Details
Berlin, Germany8–14–311
1948
Details
London, Great Britain4–01–1
4–1
(Replay)
13
1952
Details
Helsinki, Finland6–12–112
1956
Details
Melbourne, Australia1–03–112
1960
Details
Rome, Italy1–02–116
1964
Details
Tokyo, Japan1–03–2
after extra time
15
1968
Details
Mexico City, Mexico2–12–116
1972
Details
Munich, West Germany1–02–116
1976
Details
Montreal, Canada1–03–211
1980
Details
Moscow, Soviet Union4–32–16
1984
Details
Los Angeles, United States2–1
after extra time
3–212
1988
Details
Seoul, South Korea3–12–112
1992
Details
Barcelona, Spain2–14–312
1996
Details
Atlanta, United States3–13–212
2000
Details
Sydney, Australia3–3
after extra time
(5–4)
Penalty strokes
6–312
2004
Details
Athens, Greece2–1
after extra time
4–3
after extra time
12
2008
Details
Beijing, China1–06–212
2012
Details
London, Great Britain2–13–112
2016
Details
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil4–21–1
(4–3)
Penalty shootout
12
2020
Details
Tokyo, Japan1–1
(3–2)
Penalty shootout
5–412
2024
Details
Paris, France1–1
(3–1)
Penalty shootout
2–112

Top four statistics

TeamWinnersRunners-upThird placeFourth place
style=background:#FFF68Fstyle=background:#FFF68F8 (1928, 1932, 1936, 1948, 1952, 1956, 1964, 1980)1 (1960)4 (1968, 1972, 2020, 2024)
style=background:#FFF68Fstyle=background:#FFF68F4 (1972*, 1992, 2008, 2012)4 (1936*, 1984, 1988, 2024)4 (1928, 1956, 2004, 2016)3 (1968, 1996, 2020)
style=background:#FFF68Fstyle=background:#FFF68F3 (1996, 2000, 2024)4 (1928*, 1952, 2004, 2012)3 (1936, 1948, 1988)5 (1972, 1976, 1992, 2008, 2016)
style=background:#FFF68Fstyle=background:#FFF68F3 (1960, 1968, 1984)3 (1956, 1964, 1972)2 (1976, 1992)3 (1948, 1952, 2000)
style=background:#FFF68Fstyle=background:#FFF68F3 (1908*, 1920, 1988)2 (1908*, 1948*)4 (1908*, 1908*, 1952, 1984)3 (1956, 1960, 2012*)
style=background:#FFF68Fstyle=background:#FFF68F1 (2004)4 (1968, 1976, 1992, 2020)5 (1964, 1996, 2000*, 2008, 2012)2 (1984, 1988)
style=background:#FFF68Fstyle=background:#FFF68F1 (2020)1 (2016)1 (1920*)1 (1928)
style=background:#FFF68Fstyle=background:#FFF68F1 (1976)
style=background:#FFF68Fstyle=background:#FFF68F1 (2016)
3 (1980, 1996, 2008)1 (1960)3 (1964, 2004, 2024)
1 (1920)
1 (1932)
1 (2000)
1 (1932*)
1 (1980*)
2 (1920, 1936)
1 (1980)

* = host nation

Team appearances

Team
1908

1920

1928

1932

1936

1948

1952

1956

1960

1964

1968

1972

1976

1980

1984

1988

1992

1996

2000

2004

2008

2012

2016

2020

2024
Total
6th8th11th3
5th14th14th11th8th11th9th8th11th10thbgcolor=gold1st7th8th13
5th6th3rdbgcolor=silver2nd5thbgcolor=silver2nd4th4thbgcolor=silver2nd3rd3rdbgcolor=gold1st3rd3rd6thbgcolor=silver2nd6th17
9th8th7th3
3rd4th9th5th9th7th11th11th9th10th9th9th5thbgcolor=silver2ndbgcolor=gold1st5th16
12th1
13th10th12th11th10th10th11th12th8
11th1
10thDefunct1
5th1
bgcolor=silver2nd5th10th11th16th5
11thDefunct1
12th12th2
bgcolor=gold1stPart of Great Britain1
9th1
6th4th5th4th8th11th10th10th12th11th10
5th3rdbgcolor=silver2nd5thbgcolor=gold1st4th5th3rdbgcolor=gold1stbgcolor=gold1st3rd4thbgcolor=silver2nd13
bgcolor=gold1stbgcolor=silver2nd3rd4th4th9th12th6th3rdbgcolor=gold1st6th7th6th9th5th4th9th5th7th19
15th1
8th1
bgcolor=gold1stbgcolor=gold1stbgcolor=gold1stbgcolor=gold1stbgcolor=gold1stbgcolor=gold1stbgcolor=silver2ndbgcolor=gold1st3rd3rd7thbgcolor=gold1st5th6th7th8th7th7th12th8th3rd3rd22
bgcolor=silver2nd10th10th3
11th13th2
bgcolor=silver2nd7th14th7th13th11th6
10th7th6th8th13th9th12th7
9th9th15th8th8th10th9th11th11th9
16th16th2
bgcolor=silver2nd3rd3rdbgcolor=silver2nd9th7th5th4th4th6th3rd4thbgcolor=gold1stbgcolor=gold1stbgcolor=silver2nd4thbgcolor=silver2nd4th6thbgcolor=gold1st20
6th5th13th7th9thbgcolor=gold1st7th8th6th7th9th7th9th12th14
4th4thbgcolor=silver2ndbgcolor=gold1stbgcolor=silver2ndbgcolor=gold1stbgcolor=silver2nd3rdbgcolor=gold1st5th3rd6th4th5th8th7th16
6th12th11th4th12th5
11thDefunct1
3rdPart of Great Britain1
8th1
10th10th12th11th10th9th6
10th5thbgcolor=silver2nd8th6th8th6
3rd7thDefunct2
7th11th3rd4th6th7th6thbgcolor=silver2nd8th9th5thbgcolor=silver2nd9th4thbgcolor=silver2nd6th5th8th4th19
7th5th5th7th15th5
6th1
15th1
3rd11th11th12th12th12th6
3rd7th5thDefunct3
3rdPart of Great Britain1
4thbgcolor=gold1st5thbgcolor=silver2ndbgcolor=silver2ndDefunct5
Total 6 4 9 3 11 13 12 12 16 15 16 16 11 6 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12

# = states or teams that have since split into two or more independent nations

45 teams have competed in at least one Olympic Games.

Debut of teams

YearDebuting teamsSuccessor and
renamed teams
Teams
1908,,,,, 66
1920, 28
1928,,,, 513
1932, 215
1936, 217
1948, 219
1952,, 322
1956,,,, 527
1960No debuts027
1964,, 330
1968, 232
1972133
1976No debuts033
1980,, 336
1984No debuts036
1988137
1992138, CIS
1996139
2000No debuts039
2004No debuts039
2008140
2012No debuts040
2016141
2020No debuts041
2024No debuts041

Women

Results

YearHostwidth=1% rowspan=14Gold medal matchwidth=1% rowspan=14Bronze medal matchwidth=1% rowspan=14width=6% rowspan=2Number of teams
width=14%Gold medalwidth=10%Scorewidth=14%Silver medalwidth=14%Bronze medalwidth=10%Scorewidth=14%Fourth place
1980
Details
Moscow, Soviet Union6
1984
Details
Los Angeles, United States(10–5)
Penalty strokes
6
1988
Details
Seoul, South Korea2–03–18
1992
Details
Barcelona, Spain2–1
after extra time
4–38
1996
Details
Atlanta, United States3–10–0
after extra time
(4–3)
Penalty strokes
8
2000
Details
Sydney, Australia3–12–010
2004
Details
Athens, Greece2–11–010
2008
Details
Beijing, China2–03–112
2012
Details
London, Great Britain2–03–112
2016
Details
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil3–3
(2–0)
Penalty shootout
2–112
2020
Details
Tokyo, Japan3–14–312
2024
Details
Paris, France1–1
(3–1)
Penalty shootout
2–2
(3–1)
Penalty shootout
12

Top four statistics

TeamWinnersRunners-upThird placeFourth place
style=background:#FFF68Fstyle=background:#FFF68F5 (1984, 2008, 2012, 2020, 2024)2 (2004, 2016)3 (1988, 1996, 2000)
style=background:#FFF68Fstyle=background:#FFF68F3 (1988, 1996, 2000*)1 (1984)
style=background:#FFF68Fstyle=background:#FFF68F1 (2004)2 (1984, 1992)1 (2016)1 (2008)
style=background:#FFF68Fstyle=background:#FFF68F1 (2016)3 (1992, 2012*, 2020)2 (1988, 1996)
style=background:#FFF68Fstyle=background:#FFF68F1 (1992*)1 (2000)
style=background:#FFF68Fstyle=background:#FFF68F1 (1980)
3 (2000, 2012, 2020)3 (2004, 2008, 2024)
2 (1988*, 1996)1 (1992)
2 (2008*, 2024)1 (2004)
1 (1980)
1 (1980*)
1 (1984*)
2 (1980, 2020)
2 (2012, 2016)
1 (2024)

* = host nation

Team appearances

Team
1980

1984

1988

1992

1996

2000

2004

2008

2012

2016

2020

2024
Total
7th7thbgcolor=silver2nd3rd3rdbgcolor=silver2nd7thbgcolor=silver2nd3rd 9
4thbgcolor=gold1st5thbgcolor=gold1stbgcolor=gold1st5th5th5th6th5th5th11
5th1
11th4th2
5th6th7th3
5th4thbgcolor=silver2nd6th9th9thbgcolor=silver2nd7
bgcolor=silver2ndDefunct 1
12th1
bgcolor=silver2nd6th7thbgcolor=gold1st4th7th3rd6th6th9
4th3rd4th8th6th3rdbgcolor=gold1st3rd8th9
4th12th4th3
10th1
8th10th9th10th11th10th6
bgcolor=gold1st3rd6th3rd3rdbgcolor=silver2ndbgcolor=gold1stbgcolor=gold1stbgcolor=silver2ndbgcolor=gold1stbgcolor=gold1st11
6th8th6th6th12th4th4th8th8
6th1
10th9th11th10th12th11th6
bgcolor=silver2nd4thbgcolor=silver2nd9th7th9th8th11th8
3rdDefunct 1
bgcolor=gold1st8th4th10th7th8th7th7th8
3rd8th5th8th12th5th9th7
bgcolor=silver2nd5thDefunct 2
bgcolor=gold1st1
Total 6 6 8 8 8 10 10 12 12 12 12 12

# = states that have since split into two or more independent nations

Australia and the Netherlands are the only teams to have competed at almost every Olympic Games, except for only one edition; 23 teams have competed in at least one Olympic Games.

Debut of teams

YearDebuting teamsSuccessor and
renamed teams
Teams
1980, *,,, *, 66
1984,,,,, *612
1988,, 315
19921 16
1996No debuts016
2000, 218
2004No debuts018
2008119
2012120
2016No debuts020
2020121
2024122

Total medal table

Sources:[2]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Indian field hockey records. Khel Now. 14 August 2021. 14 August 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210814144944/https://khelnow.com/olympic-sports/top-five-records-of-indian-mens-hockey-team.
  2. Web site: Olympic Analytics – Medals by Countries . olympanalyt.com . 31 January 2022.