Lausanne (Switzerland), Feb 7 (IANS): As approved by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Hockey Federation (FIH) Executive Board last year, the qualification pathway for the Paris 2024 Olympic hockey tournaments per gender was revealed on Tuesday.

As per the qualification procedure for Paris Olympics laid down by the FIH, 12 teams each in men and women will participate in the competition.

The host nation France will get a direct berth in both sections and five continental champions from African Hockey Road to Paris 2023, Pan American Games 2023, Asian Games 2023, EuroHockey Championship 2023 and Oceania Cup 2023 will also qualify directly.

If France also wins the EuroHockey Championship 2023, the second-placed nation will not subsequently qualify, but the quota place will be allocated to the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualification Tournaments.

For the remaining six places, the FIH will conduct two Olympic Qualification Tournaments, consisting of eight teams each (16 teams in total), to be held in early 2024.

There will be 2 FIH Hockey Olympic Qualification tournaments, consisting of 8 teams each (16 teams in total), held in early 2024. The number of teams from each Continent participating in these tournaments will be based on Continental quotas, which will be determined according to the FIH World Rankings on 31 January 2023.

The teams filling each quota, and therefore invited to participate, will be based on performance at the Continental Championships. The top 3 teams in each of the Olympic Qualification Tournaments will qualify for Paris 2024.

Continental quotas for Women's Olympic Qualifiers-

Africa: 0

Asia: 4

Europe: 8

Oceania: 1

Pan America: 3

Continental quotas Men's Olympic Qualifiers-

Africa: 1

Asia: 5

Europe: 7

Oceania: 1

Pan America: 2