HOCKEY: The Australian men’s hockey team will be without the services of midfielder Aran Zalewski for Tuesday night’s crunch match with Belgium (9:30am AEST, Wednesday, 10 August) after the West Australian was handed a one-game suspension.

Australia will go into its biggest match of the tournament, so far, against the world number six side, with 15 players.

Zalewski fronted a Code of Conduct hearing on Monday afternoon following an altercation with Spain’s Sergi Enrique that saw his stick make accidental contact with the Spaniard’s head.

Early in the fourth quarter of Sunday night’s match, Zalewski’s stick got tangled with other sticks inside the Spanish circle and as he moved to release it the contact occurred.

At the hearing, Zalewski accepted that his stick made contact but made it clear that it was accidental. He apologised on the field of play after the incident.

The panel accepted that the contact was accidental and noted Zalewski’s previous good record but deemed that it constituted a level one offence (the lowest level) of inappropriate physical contact between players and that due to the seriousness and danger of a stick to the head a one-match suspension was appropriate.

“We accept the decision but we’re very disappointed with the outcome given the accidental nature of the incident and Aran’s previous good behaviour,” said Graham Reid, head coach of the Australian men’s hockey team.

Belgium lead Pool A with six points after wins in their opening two matches – a 4-1 win over Great Britain and a 12-0 win over hosts Brazil.

Australia sit third on three points, having beaten New Zealand 2-1 and losing to Spain 1-0.

Lawrence West

olympics.com.au