The Olympics are now a distant memory as the hockey world gears up towards the Hockey Junior World Cup, but for the Brazilian Hockey Confederation the work has really just begun, with part of their remit to ensure Rio 2016 leaves a hockey legacy in Brazil.

At the core of the legacy is the beautiful hockey complex at Deodoro. Star of the show for 14 days in August, the hope now is that the pitches will become a hockey hub for Brazil and South America.

For anyone wishing to run hockey activities in the area there are two hockey facilities – at Deodoro and at the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro – both with two top quality pitches each, certified as Global standard as part of the International Hockey Federation's (FIH) Quality Programme for Hockey Turf.

Bruno Patricio is General Manager of the Confederação Brasileira de Hóquei and he explains where things are right now regarding the hockey complex and its future.

He said: “We hope Deodoro Stadium will be our High Performance Training Centre, which will be used to develop the best Brazilian players and where the national teams and Under-21 teams will train to compete in the international tournaments. 

“The Deodoro Stadium will also be used as the main stadium to host both national competitions and international events.”

At the Federal University in Rio de Janeiro, hockey is already a hot topic. It is a subject in its own right within the physical education course and the university pitches are in constant use by the students.

For the future, Patricio says the pitches will also host national and state championships at Under-18 and Under-15 level and hockey clinics, holiday camps and coaching courses will all take place at the facility.

In addition, the local clubs from Rio de Janeiro are already using the University facility to train for the national and state championships.

Is there an appetite for hockey in Brazil, a country that has for so long been all about soccer? Patricio certainly believes so. He says Brazil men’s participation in the Olympics has provided a catalyst for hockey growth.

“The impact of the Olympic Games on hockey in Brazil was extremely positive. Due to the participation of Brazil and the fact that all hockey matches were streamed on television, hockey had an important visibility in the whole country and, since the end of the Olympic Games, we have been contacted by several institutions outside Rio de Janeiro asking the Brazilian Federation to start hockey in their locations.”

It is a point that Brazil’s, Stephane Vehrle-Smith agrees with. He said: “Despite the heavy losses we suffered during the Games, the reaction in Brazil has been great. People ranging across all ages have picked up a stick and are giving hockey a go. Many Brazilians who tuned in or watched live during the Olympics found the sport very exciting and lots of kids were inspired by it. This is a brilliant thing to see and I hope the sport continues to grow within the country and South America.”

For Patricio, what is needed for development to happen is a consistent, joined up approach. “To achieve real development, we believe that hockey needs to be practised by children, adolescents and adults from all social classes. This is the reason why we are bringing hockey to public and private schools, universities, and clubs. We expect to expand significantly the number of players, coaches and supporters in Brazil in the next years, and the Olympic legacy will be primordial to achieve this goal.”

The impact that the Rio 2016 Olympic Games has had on hockey, not only in Brazil but across the world, is very much in line with the FIH's 10-year Hockey Revolution strategy in relation to its overall aim - to make hockey a global game that inspires the next generation.

To find out more about hockey in Brazil, visit the Confederação Brasileira de Hóquei website by clicking here.

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