By PA Sport Staff

Controversial women's hockey coach Jon Royce has vowed to fight on after an embarrassing Sydney Games for the British team.

Royce, whose players managed just one win and one draw in the pool stages, lost their final game 2-0 to Germany today to finish the tournament in seventh place.

If the defeats were disappointing for Britain, Royce's one-match suspension for verbally abusing a female doping control escort after a loss against Argentina didn't help.

And it has emerged that Royce was seen kicking a lift door on the same night, which was reported to the British Olympic Association who took it into consideration when they meted out his one-game ban.

"I want to stay and help put GB back on top but that's up to the powers that be," Royce said.

"It has been a massive learning curve.

"In the future we need to be much more thorough in our debriefings to prepare ourselves better for the Olympic experience.

"I can't fault the players' efforts but our weakness is in poor technique under pressure.

"The athletes' minds and strength of purpose is paramount.

"We must be honest about what went wrong and what's happened at previous tournaments. We simply have to learn the lessons."

Wednesday's defeat marked the end of a superb international career for veteran striker Jane Sixsmith, who has retired from the British side after four Olympics.

"She's been the public face of hockey for a decade and a loyal servant of the game," said Royce.

"I still believe this is the best prepared side I've ever played in and the whole experience has been fantastic," Sixsmith said.

"But we lack the mental toughness under pressure."

Sixsmith, a player with Sutton in the West Midlands, also has a silver medal from the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur two years ago, one reason she was optimistic ahead of the Olympics.

But she insists there will be no tempting her back into the British set-up.

"I have no doubt I've played my last international," she said. "If I had stayed, next time would always be harder and longer.

"I'm looking forward to spending time at home."

British captain Pauline Stott also announced her retirement after the defeat by Germany.

The 31-year-old defender from Dundee has made more than 200 international appearances.

"The players have been fantastic and we've had a lot of fun," Stott said, "but it's been hard at times and very disappointing not to have performed.

"I just can't work out what went wrong.

"Now is the time to put something back in to the game and encourage the youngsters to keep going and look to the future.

"It's important for players like myself and Sixsmith to become involved at the grass roots level."