Hockey Australian Capital Territory Loses $55,000 In Government Funding

Hockey Australian Capital Territory has lost A$60,000 ($55,000) in ACT government funding, with CEO Terry Evans claiming "the carpet was pulled out from under us" by Hockey Australia's decision to condense the format of the Australian Hockey League, according to Chris Wilson of the CANBERRA TIMES. Evans remains confident that Canberra's premier men's and women's field hockey teams, the Lakers and Strikers, respectively, "will still be able to contest the re-formatted AHL competitions" from Sept. 27 to Oct. 5. The decision "has effectively made the ACT Lakers and Strikers ineligible for the ACT Government funding provided to national sporting teams, given Canberra will no longer stage home matches." Evans "was not critical of the ACT Government, which he said remained supportive." But he feared Hockey Australia's decision would not only cut Hockey ACT's funding, but also "significantly diminish" the sport's flagship national event (CANBERRA TIMES, 8/15).