The Black Sticks men's and women's teams won't be travelling to the Netherlands and Germany this month due to the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak in Europe.
The Men's and Womens teams were scheduled to fly out this week to play fixtures in the FIH Hockey Pro League against the Netherlands and Germany, but Hockey New Zealand says concerns over player welfare ultimately lead to the decision to postpone the trip indefinitely.
"The decision to not send the teams for the European Pro League matches has not been taken lightly, however we must prioritise the health and safety of our athletes, staff and their families," Hockey NZ high performance manager Paul MacKinnon said in a statement.
"In doing this we concluded that the health and logistical risks for a touring party of over 50 people have become too great to manage safely and effectively."
With the Tokyo Olympic Games scheduled to begin in July, the tour would have been a good opportunity for the Kiwi sides to test their skills against two of the strongest hockey playing nations but MacKinnon says the Black Sticks will now be looking elsewhere to get the practice and preparation they require.
"While the games against these top European sides were an essential part of the Olympic build-up, we have already begun working on alternative plans to ensure that our teams have the best possible preparation for Tokyo."
Hockey New Zealand will decide at a later date around the FIH Hockey Pro League matches in late May where the Black Sticks are scheduled to play Australia and India.
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