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Hockey Australia wants Olympic hockey to be held at a dedicated venue that would give the sport a Brisbane 2032 legacy.Credit:Mark Brake/Getty Images

Now,hockey has blasted the plan for its lack of legacy for the sport.

Hockey Australia chief executive David Pryles said his organisation,along with Hockey Queensland,was “adamant” the state needed – and deserved – a new facility that could host national and international hockey events.

The current Olympic plan was for adrop-in synthetic pitch to be installed,before reverting to a grass field post-competition.

Pryles said hockey infrastructure in Brisbane did not meet International Hockey Federation (FIH) standards and the ratio of synthetic pitches to players and competitions was the lowest in Australia.

Brisbane has not hosted an FIH-sanctioned event since the 1999 Champions Trophy.

“This is a crucial and perfect time to invest in creating a lasting legacy that will have positive long-term impacts for not only hockey,but the broader Australian sporting community,” Pryles said.

“We are a proud and successful sporting nation and new infrastructure for hockey in Brisbane is long overdue.”

Pryles said Hockey Australia and Hockey Queensland had formed a working group to put forward a feasibility study for the Queensland government “to ensure there will be a physical legacy for hockey in Queensland”.

“There has been a huge emphasis by all levels of government,the Australian Olympic Committee and national sporting organisations on ensuring we capitalise on this once-in-a-generation green and gold runway leading up to Brisbane 2032,” he said.

“Establishing a dedicated,purpose-built and permanent hockey facility is integral to this.

“Hockey is one of our most successful Olympic sports and has 1.4 million people across Australia engaged with the sport.”

Queensland opposition sports spokesman Tim Mander said it would be a “tragedy” if the transformative potential of the Games was lost on Queensland.

“As evidenced yet again by another sporting body,the Palaszczuk Labor government is all talk and no action when it comes to the legacy of the Games,” Mander said.

Comment was sought from Deputy Premier Steven Miles but his department responded instead.

“Ballymore Stadium has been selected as the competition venue for hosting hockey during Brisbane 2032 as it’s an inner-city venue with sufficient crowd capacity for competition,using both existing permanent seating and temporary overlay,” a spokeswoman said.

“While there are no major works required at Ballymore as part of the Brisbane 2032 Master Plan,shortly before the Games,the venue will be prepared for hosting Olympic and Paralympic events.”

Last month it was revealed Ballymore’s existing eastern stand,which dominates the site,was no longer considered safe for use,meaning itrequired more work to bring it up to Olympic specifications.

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