India beat Ukraine 3-0 in U-23 five-nation tournament
Rising political tension has adversely affected the bilateral sporting ties between India and Pakistan but newly-elected FIH chief Narinder Batra on Saturday said the two nations will have to honour their international commitments. The tension at the border has cast a shadow over Pakistan's participation in the next month's FIH Junior World Cup in Lucknow but Batra's comments make it clear that the two neighbours are set to clash against each other on Indian soil.
Two FIH Pro League ties involving the senior men's team, junior men's Asia Cup and senior women's Asian Champions Trophy are among a host of international hockey events, where India was scheduled to take part, that have been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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.
Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Shaharyar Khan has refused to follow in the footsteps of Pakistan Hockey Federation which announced this week that it would boycott future international events in India.
Former South Africa batting all-rounder Farhan Behardien is hoping that the new COVID-19 variant, which is causing alarm here, will not jeopardise India's tour of the country next month as young cricketers of his nation need the series "more than ever".
Harendra Singh, who was conferred the Dronacharya award in 2012, served as chief coach of the senior India men's hockey team from 2017 to 2018. Before that, he was also in charge of the Indian women's team for some time.
In an encouraging development for the Indian women's hockey team, all the squad members are set to be included in the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) when the review committee will identify a core group for the government-funded programme, next month.
'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.
Japan eked out a hard-fought 3-1 win over debutants Oman to finish fifth, while Bangladesh managed to avoid the wooden spoon by thrashing minnows Chinese Taipei 11-3 in the classification matches of the 9th Asia Cup hockey tournament in Ipoh, Malaysia on Saturday.
As stalwart midfielder Sardar Singh called time on his illustrious International career, Hockey India on Friday congratulated the 32-year-old Khel Ratna awardee on his long-serving career that spanned over 12 years.
India's shooting ace Apurvi Chandela attained the World No 1 position in the women's 10m air rifle event while compatriot Anjum Moudgil rose to second.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Monday
India made a spirited fightback in the second half but failed to earn a direct berth in next year's hockey World Cup as they lost the high-scoring summit clash 3-4 to defending champions South Korea, in Ipoh, Malaysia, on Monday.
After missing its November 20 deadline, Hockey India on Friday have been given one last chance to clear its mess before next year's World Cup with the FIH granting an extension upto first week of February to complete the national hockey body's election process.
Former South Africa player David Staniforth has been appointed goalkeeping coach and strategic analyst of India's senior and junior men's hockey teams.
The rising stars of Indian hockey will be under immense pressure but they would aim to rise above it and make a positive start in the Junior Men's World Cup when they take on a formidable Netherlands in their opening tie, in New Delhi on Friday.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Tuesday.
The tournament will be played at the National Hockey Stadium, Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur, from November 29 to December 9.
Hockey India appointed former Olympic gold-medallist V Baskaran as a coach of the men's national team on Wednesday and he will work under the recently-appointed chief coach Terry Walsh.
The two-time Olympian (2012 and 2016), from Somwarpet in Coorg, was a key player in the Indian forward line for over a decade with fine performances.
The Government of India is set to appoint Hockey India's Director High Performance Roelant Oltmans as Chief Coordinator and High Performance Director for Indian Hockey.
While players and teams from other participating nations can venture out as and when they wish, individual outings are a big 'No' for the Pakistani players. They are allowed to visit places in groups only and have to mandatorily inform the security a day in advance.
Former India captain Jude Felix has been appointed coach of the senior men's hockey team. The Olympian will work under chief coach Terry Walsh, Hockey India said on Wednesday.
List of international sports events affected by the coronavirus that has killed over 900 people and infected more than 40,000 in China
Going by the teams' past 4-4 win-loss record in World Cups, there is little to separate the two hockey powerhouses. But a win on Thursday will not only earn one of them a spot in the title clash, but also give them the edge when it boils down to rivalry between the two countries in the tournament.
Former India hockey coach Harendra Singh finds himself on a different turf in the country's battle to contain the COVID-19 pandemic -- supervising arrangements for Indian evacuees from coronavirus-struck nations as Air India's General Manager.
Six Indian men's team players -- skipper Manpreet Singh, striker Mandeep Singh, defenders SurenderKumar, Jaskaran Singh, drag-flicker Varun Kumar and goalkeeper Krishan Bahadur Pathak -- have tested positive after reaching Bengaluru for the national camp, scheduled to start on August 20.
A miffed Pakistan has threatened to pull out of the FIH Junior World Cup to be held in India later this year, a day after the Indian government has cancelled the proposed bilateral series between the two nations.
Coach Harendra defends junior players' selection for World Cup
Australia hockey captain Jamie Dwyer is looking forward to playing in the Hero Honda FIH World Cup to be held in New Delhi's Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium from February 28 to March 13 next year and reckons defending champions Germany as the team to be most feared.
'Terrorism and sports can't go along and Pakistan should understand that'
After the Sports Ministry withdrew the recognition of 54 National Sports Federations (NSFs), Indian Olympic Association president Narinder Batra raised concerns saying that if things will continue to go ahead like this then India should not be hoping for any medal in the Tokyo Olympics next year. Following a High Court order, the Sports Ministry withdrew the recognition of 54 NSFs, including the All India Football Federation, Hockey India, and Athletics Federation of India.
Three years after he resigned as national women's hockey coach on charges of sexual harassment only to be absolved later, Maharaj Krishan Kaushik feels vindicated after Hockey India nominated him to assist Indian men's team coach Michael Nobbs till the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Emotions will run high when India, after a tumultuous build-up, will take on arch-rivals Pakistan in a potential humdinger of the hockey World Cup, which gets underway amid watertight security at the Dyan Chand National Stadium on Sunday.
The Pakistan Wrestling Federation on Tuesday claimed that its national team has been denied visa by the Indian High Commission for the upcoming Asian Championship scheduled to be held in New Delhi from May 10-14.
India put up a gallant fight before going down 2-3 to the Netherlands in their opening match of the Hero FIH Junior hockey World Cup, in Delhi, on Friday.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Thursday
For Indian hockey, 2016 was a year in which much was promised and achieved as well. It was also a year where India made significant and visible advancements but deep down somewhere the pain of missing out on an Olympic medal will remain for four more years.
Terry Walsh, an International Hockey Federation (FIH) Master Coach, has 175 international caps and represented Australia in four World Cup campaigns and three Olympic Games including a silver medal at the Montreal Olympics in 1976.
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