July 12 - Two players from Britain's hockey team that finished third in the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki are to finally this week receive the bronze medals they have been waiting 58 years for.



Sir Derek Day and Neil Nugent were team-mates in the Britain men’s team that beat Pakistan 2-1 in the bronze medal play-off at the Games. 

But they missed out on medals after forgoing theirs so that two colleagues could receive them, with only 11 medals presented to the team.

The issue was brought to light during a conversation between Tony Nunn, another member of the 1952 team, and Richard Leman, himself an Olympic gold medal winner from 1988 and now the President of Great Britain Hockey. 

Promising to investigate, Leman sought out the advice of Jan Paterson of the British Olympic Association (BOA), who contacted the International Olympic Committee (IOC). 

After thorough investigative work taking several months, it was determined that the rules in place in 1952 were similar to those in place today whereby any athlete taking part in the preliminary round of competition, within a team event, qualifies for a medal.

Now, just over a year after the enquiry to the IOC, the two men will be presented with specially commissioned replicas of the 1952 bronze medal.

The presentation ceremony to 82-year-old Sir Derek, who went on to become Britain's High Commissioner in Canada between 1984 and 1987 and now lives in Tunbridge Wells, and 83-year-old Nugent, who lives in Hindhead, will take place on the pitch during half-time in Britain men’s Four Nations match against Germany at Highfields Sports Club on Wednesday (July 14) afternoon.

Colin Moynihan, the chairman of the BOA, will present the two medals.

Leman said: "Everyone involved with Great Britain Hockey is delighted that we have been able to assist the players of the 1952 team and help correct the oversight of the time. 

"The individuals have been very magnanimous about the whole situation and it was interesting to note that it was their colleagues who made the initial enquiry to see if the record could be put straight. 

"With the medals being presented some 58 years after the event we wonder what the longest time is between winning a medal and being presented with it."