The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) has confirmed that it will be adhering to criteria agreed with the South African Hockey Association (SAHA) prior to last month's tournament, which said the country's teams would only travel to Brazil if they gained a berth through the 2014-15 Hockey World League (HWL) and that continental qualification places would not be considered.

With both the men’s and women’s teams failing to qualify for next year’s Games through the HWL, it means that their respective titles at the African Championships on home soil in Johannesburg will not be good enough.

"We commend the SA men’s and women’s teams participating in the African Championships held in Johannesburg, giving their best and competing for world ranking points," said SASCOC chief executive Tubby Reddy.

"However, the SASCOC Board firmly believes that the qualification criteria, which has been agreed between the international sporting federations and the International Olympic Committee, and based on World Olympic Qualification, is in line with SASCOC’s policy of producing world-class athletes who will compete at the highest level."

The South African men's team are currently ranked 15th in the world, with the women placed 11th.

It will be the first Olympics since Barcelona in 1992 that the country will not be represented in either the men's or women's event.

SASCOC’s insistence that it will stick to its criteria could reap benefits for New Zealand’s men’s team and Spain’s women’s team.

New Zealand, currently seventh in the world rankings, are poised to fill the men’s void as the losing finalists in last month’s Oceania Cup, which was won by Australia.

Spain, meanwhile, are next in line to qualify for the women's tournament thanks to their WHL performance.

Hockey New Zealand chief executive Malcolm Harris is hoping his country will be able to fill the void.

"There's still a glimmer of hope," Harris said.

"We're the next team in line.

"Should the South African team not be sent then there is the potential for us to fill that slot."

South Africa’s men’s team came out 4-2 winners in an African Championships final showdown with Egypt,, while their women’s side beat Ghana 3-0 to ensure top spot in the round-robin format.

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) have confirmed that they will write to South Africa to invite them to Rio.

"In this instance, the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee is responsible for accepting or declining the invitation," they said in a statement.

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