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Brutal new fallout in Hockeyroos Olympic Games saga

Pictured here, Georgina Morgan celebrates during a match for the Hockeyroos.
Georgina Morgan has been snubbed for Hockeyroos selection again in a crushing blow to her Olympic Games dreams. Pic: Getty

The Olympic hopes of Georgina Morgan are over after the former Hockeyroos skipper was controversially snubbed yet again.

Hockeyroos players threatened to strike late last year when 27-year-old Morgan and 2019 FIH goalkeeper of the year Rachael Lynch were left off the 2021 contract list.

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The pair successfully appealed that decision, and the new four-person selection panel announced on Friday that Lynch has been reinstated in an expanded squad of 27 that will vie for the 16-person Olympic team.

Queensland striker Savannah Fitzpatrick, who has made 60 international appearances, was also a late inclusion alongside Lynch.

But there was no room for Morgan, who is considered one of the best defenders in the world, and was one of three co-captains to stand down last year amid the ongoing crisis within the elite women's hockey set-up.

It's understood that Morgan and Lynch had raised some of the concerns about the player group to team management last year before being overlooked for a 2021 contract.

"The selection period for these athletes included the training camp in Darwin, a number of intra-squad matches and performance in our daily training environment," new Hockeyroos coach Katrina Powell said in a statement.

"Across the duration Rachael (Lynch) has shown herself to be up to international standard and has been selected on her performance in this training block.

"Savannah (Fitzpatrick) played really well in the five intra-squad games and proved herself to be a constant goal-scoring threat in the penalty circle."

"Sadly for Georgina, she has missed out on this occasion."

Former Hockeyroos captain Georgina Morgan is seen here in action for Australia. Pic: Getty
Former Hockeyroos captain Georgina Morgan is seen here in action for Australia. Pic: Getty

The Hockeyroos have been in turmoil for years now, with a recent independent review finding a dysfunctional culture existed in their set-up.

Hockey Australia high performance manager Toni Cumpston quit in January after losing the support of the player group and the Hockey Australia board, while coach Paul Gaudoin resigned in March immediately after the release of the independent report.

The Hockeyroos recently appointed two-time Olympic Games gold medallist Powell as their new coach after Gaudoin became the latest key figure to fall on his sword.

Hockey Australia announced in March that Gaudoin had tendered his resignation following the internal release of findings and recommendations of an independent review.

Former Hockeyroo's shocking claims

The review was launched after explosive allegations rocked the Hockeyroos' set-up late last year, throwing the elite women's hockey program into chaos.

Speaking in the wake of the scandal, former Hockeyroos star Anna Flanagan recounted one of her experiences with a former coach.

The 27-year-old told NewsCorp that a member of the Hockeyroos coaching staff told her she "looked like a slut" in a photo she'd posted online in 2010.

Flanagan, who played 171 games for the Hockeyroos, said the female staff member slammed her for inadvertently exposing part of her sports bra in the photo wearing her green and gold uniform.

“She told me I looked like a slut, because part of my sports bra was showing,” Flanagan said.

Anna Flanagan is seen here during her Hockeyroos playing days.
Anna Flanagan played 171 games for the Hockeyroos. Image: Getty

“That was from a member of the coaching staff. That was just one of the many inappropriate comments that were said to me.

“There were so many other things and not just to me. Girls were constantly being told they were going to get kicked in the c …”

Flanagan claims she complained to Hockey Australia at the time, but no action was taken.

The Kookaburras and Hockeyroos will end their 14-month drought of international games when they take on New Zealand in Palmerston North in a four-match series starting on May 27.

Australia's women's and men's Olympic teams are scheduled to be announced on June 14 in Perth.

with Yahoo Sport staff

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