India swept the International Hockey Federation's annual awards on Wednesday, claiming all the top honours, based on a voting system which was lambasted as a "failure" by men's Olympic champions Belgium, prompting the FIH to say that it would try to figure why some associations did not cast their ballot.
Former national hockey coach Harendra Singh is furious after learning that his name is not in the nomination list for the Dronacharya award and believes that people are making a 'mockery of the award'.
Not only did the Indian High Commission issue visa to the players, the new sponsors have also released nine million Pakistani rupees to cover the team's expenses in the tournament to be held in Bhubaneswar from November 28 to December 16.
'Indian hockey will lose out on one of its most important nurseries of good hockey talent.'
The FIH Hockey Pro League matches between India and Great Britain, scheduled for May 8-9 in London, were on Wednesday postponed following the UK government's decision to add India to the travel 'red list'.
The men's team last participated in an international competition in February last year when they played the FIH Hockey Pro League matches against Australia in Bhubaneswar.
Hockey fraternity including three former captains on Friday expressed shock over the decision to appoint women's team coach Sjoerd Marijne as head coach of the Indian men's side, saying the abrupt move 'defies logic'.
Three-time Olympian Mukesh Kumar feels "insulted and humiliated" after being sacked by Hockey India as junior national coach, and says the Narinder Batra-led organisation is no different from the Indian Hockey Federation.
The age-old malady of inconsistency remained unaddressed but Indian hockey did take baby steps towards global success in 2017, a year which reaffirmed the nation's continental supremacy in the sport.
With an aim to provide a safe training environment for the Olympic-bound players, Hockey India has devised a detailed Standard Operating Procedure in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The decision to axe the German super coach was taken following Malaysia's dismal showing in the Asia Cup hockey.
A historic bronze-winning show by the men's team and an outstanding fourth place finish for the women's team infused fresh life into the game which was in danger of slipping into oblivion.
The Prime Minister termed the athletes as "India's soldiers of 2036 Olympics".
Shami was there to receive the honours. He took 24 wickets in seven World Cup games last year.
Hockey coach Ramesh Parameswaran applies for Dronacharya Award
Pakistan Hockey Federation had sought a loan from the PCB to send the team to Bhubaneswar and clear the outstanding dues of players.
Junior India hockey team coach A K Bansal has his priorities in place for the upcoming Test series in Argentina. He says he will be working on fine-tuning his boys in powerplay, a characteristic the Argentines rule world hockey.
'I feel so fortunate to be part of this incredible group and yes, I do believe I have been lucky to have had such a great start to my international career.'
'The way we are playing now, if we continue to play the same hockey, no one can stop us from standing on the podium in Tokyo.'
National hockey coach Rajinder Singh said it was too early to say whether the penalty corner expert would be picked in the Olympics team.
Skipper Sardara Singh has been rested for third Asian Champions Trophy. In his absence, Hockey India said, midfielder Manpreet Singh will lead India's 18-member squad for the tournament in Kakamigahara, Japan, from November 2-10.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Wednesday
The Indian men's hockey team's biggest gain this year was the emergence of some talented fresh faces.
Three-time Olympian Mukesh Kumar, who created a stir by walking out of a national camp recently after being denied charge of the junior side, has been appointed as coach of the senior men's hockey team and will work under chief coach Michael Nobbs of Australia.
The camp getting underway in Bengaluru on Sunday will conclude on September 18.
Indian women's hockey team qualified for the Rio Olympic Games .
Rising Indian midfielder Manpreet Singh was named the 'Junior Player of the Year' by the Asian Hockey Federation in its Congress held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
'I play in the present without thinking about the buzz in the background,' says Vivek Sagar Prasad, who has just won the FIH Rising Star of the Year award.
37 players figure in the probables' list.
Singapore, Malaysia have accused India of fielding over-age players in the ongoing Junior Asia Cup hockey tournament in Hyderabad.
With three wins and a draw, India are currently leading the six-team league table with 10 points and a goal difference of eight.
Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju on Friday honoured the former hockey players for their achievements and contribution to the country.
Minnows Austria continued to impress in the ongoing men's Junior Hockey World Cup as they spanked declining Asian powerhouse Korea 5-2 in Lucknow on Saturday to remain in contention for a surprise quarter-final berth from Pool A in the 16-team tournament.
The Indian junior men's hockey team thrashed arch-rivals Pakistan 6-2 in the Asia Cup final on Sunday.
Hockey greats Vasudevan Baskaran, M M Somaya and Mervyn Fernandis relive India's gold medal-winning campaign at the Moscow Olympics in 1980.
India goalkeeper PR Sreejesh and Deepika won the Dhruv Batra Player of the Year award for men and women, respectively, at the Hockey India second annual awards, in Bengaluru, on Saturday.
A 21-member Indian men's hockey team will embark on a 15-day tour of Europe, starting July 31. High Performance Director Roelant Oltmans will take over as the chief coach of the side following the unceremonious ouster of Paul Van Ass.
Even as the euphoria over India's bronze medal win in the junior women's hockey World Cup is yet to die down, former senior men's team chief coach Michael Nobbs has claimed that seven of the players were anaemic.
