The Olympic Games have always been a major event for Field hockey. This sport is among the oldest ones to have a competition during the event.
Hockey first appeared at the Olympic Games as a men's competition at 1908 Olympic Games in London, with only three teams: England, Ireland and Scotland.
Hockey was removed from the Olympic program at 1924 Paris Games due to the lack of international structure.
Hence, the International Hockey Federation (FIH, Fédération Internationale de Hockey) was founded in Paris that very year as a response to hockey's omission. Men's hockey became a permanent fixture at the next Olympics Games (1928 Olympic Games, Amsterdam). Women had to wait until Moscow Games, in 1980, to be incorporated in the Olympic program.
See Also
