News for 13 June 2020
All the news for Saturday 13 June 2020
IOC Ethics Commission and FIH Integrity Unit to take no action against Batra
By Ali Iveson
The International Hockey Federation Integrity Unit will not be taking any action against President Narinder Batra ©Getty Images
Neither the International Hockey Federation (FIH) Integrity Unit or International Olympic Committee (IOC) Ethics Commission will be taking any action against Narinder Batra in response to allegations made by Indian Olympic Association (IOA) vice-president Sudhanshu Mittal.
Batra is President of both the FIH and IOA, as well as an IOC member, but Mittal had contested that his ascent to both Presidencies was illegitimate.
Mittal wrote to the IOC Ethics Commission this week urging it to ban Batra from "hockey and the Olympic Movement" as he claims there were "gross violations" in the process which led to Batra being elected IOA President in December 2017.
However, in documents seen by insidethegames, the IOC has told Mittal the "internal issues to which you refer were addressed and resolved prior to the elections" and that no action will be taken.
The matter is "regarded as closed for the IOC".
Similarly, Mittal lodged a complaint against Batra with the FIH, however Wayne Snell, independent chairman of the FIH Integrity Unit, has said that "the matter is not sustained" and therefore no action will be taken.
Mittal had claimed that Batra breached FIH statutes when elected President of the global body in November 2016 as he was still the head of Hockey India.
Batra insisted Mittal had referenced a later edition of the FIH statutes and there was nothing in the regulations when he was voted in as President that prevented him from holding the position with Hockey India.
The Integrity Unit agreed with the President's position.
Narinder Batra's term as FIH President was extended until May 2021 following the postponement of its Congress ©Getty Images
"Indeed, according to the FIH Statutes at the time, there was no requirement for Dr Batra to change his relationship with Hockey India after his election as FIH President in November 2016," Snell added.
"He therefore committed no breach of the procedure or the FIH Statutes."
Mittal's allegations of wrongdoing came following a bitter internal dispute at the IOA.
That dispute appears to have been caused by a public row between Batra and secretary general Rajeev Mehta.
Batra said he would assume many of the functions usually carried out by the secretary general, triggering a split within the IOA and leading to Mehta accusing him of acting illegally by seemingly dissolving the IOA Ethics Commission.
Batra is an IOC member by virtue of his position as IOA President and has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
In a message he sent to IOC President Thomas Bach and the Executive Board, seen by insidethegames, Batra described Mittal's accusations as "misleading" and claimed the IOA vice-president was trying to "damage my image and reputation as a means to project himself as he intends to stand as a candidate for the post of IOA President".
An IOA Presidential election is due to take place next year.
Batra's current term as President of the FIH has been extended until May 2021 because the governing body was forced to postpone its Congress in light of the coronavirus pandemic.
Inside the Games
FIH Clarifies no breach of Statutes by its President
Team S2H
The Federation de Internationale Hockey (FIH) has set aside the accusation of one of the Indian Olympic Association vice-presidents, who complained violation of procedure by the FIH President Dr. Narinder Dhruv Batra. The FIH has released the following statement.
Statement from the independent Integrity Unit Chairman Wayne Snell:
“The FIH Disciplinary Commissioner Gordon Nurse received on 8 June a complaint lodged by Indian Olympic Association Vice-President Sudhanshu Mittal against FIH President Dr Narinder Dhruv Batra, questioning the eligibility of Dr Batra as FIH President.
In compliance with the applicable FIH procedure, this complaint was forwarded to the independent FIH Integrity Unit (FIU), which today decided that it will not be taking any action regarding FIH President Dr Batra in relation to this matter on the basis that the matter is not sustained. Indeed, according to the FIH Statutes at the time, there was no requirement for Dr Batra to change his relationship with Hockey India after his election as FIH President in November 2016. He therefore committed no breach of the procedure or the FIH Statutes.”
Meanwhile, as another boost to Dr Narinder Dhruv Batra, which is also the final nail, the International Olympic Committee too conveyed its decision on the Mittal’s complaints to its President Thomas Bach.
Their communique is reproduced.
“It is noted that the internal issues to which you (sushansu Mittal) refer were addressed and resolved prior to the elections by the NOC General Assembly, which is the NOC’s supreme decision-making body and the results of the NOC’s elections were not challenged,” said IOC’s Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer Paquerette Girard Zappelli.
The letter the FIH President wrote to CEO, FIH, is reproduced below
*Mr. Thierry Weil,*
*CEO International Hockey Federation*
*Dear Thierry, Dear FIH Executive Board Members*
It has come to my attention that all of you have received a detailed email from a *Mr. Sudhanshu Mittal, Vice President Indian Olympic Association* dated Monday 8 June 2020 at 5.40 P.M addressed to Mr. Gordon Nurse, and further the same letter/email has been sent to Mr. Thierry Weil, CEO International Hockey Federation on Wednesday 10 June 2020 at 3.15 P.M and subsequently the same letter/email to FIH Member National Associations also on Wednesday 10 June 2020.
*At the outset, although the letter has been sent on what appears to be Indian Olympic Association (IOA) letterhead, please don’t be misled since the complaint is not from the Indian Olympic Association nor does Mr. Mittal have the authority to officially correspond on behalf of the Indian Olympic Association and his email/letter is being sent by him in his personal capacity as Vice President of the Indian Olympic Association. Mr. Mittal is also not sending “his complaint” as a matter of good governance, but with purely selfish and malicious motives.*
To provide you context to the motivation in Mr. Mittal sending this letter, it is two-fold.
The first that you need to be aware of is that Mr. Mittal has made it abundantly clear in India and within IOA circles that he intends to stand for the post of President of the Indian Olympic Association in the elections in 2021.
The second is more of a personal nature and those of you that are familiar of my working style are aware that I am an individual that will take a situation head on when I believe that injustice is or has been done.
*As President of the Indian Olympic Association, I have taken a number of tough decisions for the good of IOA and Indian sports and as a consequence I have disrupted the environment for some that have functioned for years in sports administration and enjoyed privileges by contravening the system.*
As Mr. Mittal himself has pointed out in his email/letter to FIH and FIH Member Associations, the International Hockey Federation has only jurisdiction over matters related to Hockey.
However, since Mr. Mittal has gone out of his way to discredit me in front of the Hockey community I felt that it was necessary to immediately briefly address the misleading and inaccurate comments of Mr. Mittal in his above mentioned email/letter.
*Allow me to please start with an assurance that I have not flouted any of the Rules and Regulations of the Indian Olympic Association or International Hockey Federation or Hockey India in my election as President of the Indian Olympic Association or the President of the International Hockey Federation.* Again those who know me are well aware that I believe that Rules & Regulations are the foundation for our working and I have been known to be somebody who would be strict on compliance.
1. *Matters related to the Indian Olympic Association (Email / letter point no. 1 – 9 and 12 – 13)*
With regards to my election as President of the Indian Olympic Association in 2017, for which I will not go into too much detail at this time since Mr. Mittal provided extension references (but no supporting documentation) explaining the workings of the Indian Olympic Association to which I’m sure was only provided to try to confuse and add irrelevant substance to his exhaustive letter.
The elections of the Indian Olympic Association in 2017, like all other professional sports bodies, follows the rules governed in the Election By-Laws which are issued ahead of the Elections.
Additionally, the Indian Olympic Association elections which were held on 14 December 2017 were overseen by an Election Commission, which comprised of three retired Hon’ble High Court Judges. These highly knowledgeable and experienced individuals ensured that appropriate scrutiny of nominations was conducted and the proceedings were followed at each stage of the process.
To make you aware that ahead of the 14 December 2017 Indian Olympic Association elections, an objection was raised on 4 December 2017 to the Indian Olympic Association Election Commission by Mrs. Praveen Mahajan, President of the All India Tennis Association regarding my ineligibility for inclusion in the Electoral College List for the said elections. The complaint was later withdrawn by Mrs. Mahajan and the Election Commission mentioned that there was no substance to the complaint.
It is worth mentioning that Mr. Mittal himself is unaware of the facts and is merely making up stories and inaccuracies as can be seen from his email to Mr. Gordon Nurse and FIH dated Monday 8 June 2020, where he stated a Mr. Anil Khanna raised the complaint to the Election Commission and has changed the same in his letter to CEO FIH dated 10 June 2020.
Further the results of the 2017 elections of the Indian Olympic Association have been approved, recognised and accepted by the Ministry, Youth Affairs & Sports, Government of India and the International Olympic Committee since the conduct of the elections followed all the necessary guidelines and requirements.
It is interesting that in the very same elections of the Indian Olympic Association held on 14 December 2017, Mr. Mittal himself stood and won the election for the post of Vice President Indian Olympic Association.
At that time Mr. Mittal had no objections with my election as the President however as of 2020, he is now simply trying to find any remote opportunity to malign my character and reputation so that he can project himself as the best candidate for the post of President in the 2021 Indian Olympic Association elections.
2. *Hockey India Elections 2014 (Email / letter point no. 10)*
The 2014 elections of Hockey India followed again all necessary Election By-Laws and the elections were approved, recognised and accepted by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Government of India, the Indian Olympic Association and the International Hockey Federation.
It is unclear why Mr. Mittal is pursuing this however his reference to the Indian Sports Code is simply foolish, without merit and is a desperate attempt on his part to corroborate his malicious scheme and add more pages to his complaint in order to make it appear huge and voluminous.
3. *International Hockey Federation Statutes 2016 (Email / letter point no. 11)*
Purely on the basis to add bulk to his email/letter, Mr. Mittal references the International Hockey Federation Statutes 2016 and my election as President of the International Hockey Federation on 12 November 2016. Mr. Mittal has submitted a similar “personal complaint” to the International Olympic Committee, however quotes the International Hockey Federation Statutes dated 2018 which was not in applicable on me in the 2016 Elections as the International Hockey Federation President. Clearly realising his error, the confused Mr. Mittal tries to misinterpret the meaning of Article 7.2 in the International Hockey Federation Statutes 2016, where there is no requirement to resign from my post as President, Hockey India after my election to the President, International Hockey Federation. Still as a practice of good governance I did resign from this post to ensure no conflict of interest.
There is no other purpose to adding such references then to complicate his complaint and to put pressure on me to resign from one or more of my posts and embarrass me in front of the hockey community.
4. *IOC Membership (Email/letter point no. 14)*
Mr. Mittal by questioning my membership with the International Olympic Committee is his way of exhausting all avenues available to him to again put excessive pressure on me and to humiliate me so that I resign from the post of President, Indian Olympic Association.
It is unfortunate to see that Mr. Mittal is going to such great lengths to discredit me when his energy could be utilised serving Indian sports.
5. *Indian National Sports Code 2017(Email/letter point no. 15)*
What Mr. Mittal fails to mention in his email/letter was that I was the first Sports Administrator to challenge the earlier versions of the Government of India’s Sports Code way back in 2002 and when any reference is done in India in Hon’ble Courts for Justice, the judgment quoted is from “Narinder Batra v/s Union of India”. Based on my extensive understanding of the Sports Code along with practical implementations of the Code from my many years of decorated services to the sports bodies/industry I was appointed in January 2017 as a Member of the 9 Member Government of India nominated Committee to provide recommendations and advise to the Government of India for how to improve the Indian Sports Code.
The Committee as a whole put forward many recommendations to the Government of India which they saw fit to ensure improved and good governance practices in India sports.
The updates in the Sports Code are yet to be approved or implemented and as such Indian sports is under the Sports Code of 2011.
I do enjoy that Mr. Mittal has such an extravagant and vivacious imagination when it comes to many points in his email/letter and he gives me far more credit for being mischievous then I could even hope to be.
6. *Amendments to the Constitutions / Statutes of the Indian Olympic Association, International Hockey Federation and Hockey India (Email/letter point no. 16 – 18)*
With references to any amendments made in the Constitution / Statutes of the Indian Olympic Association, International Hockey Federation or Hockey India.
Mr. Mittal is portraying that we are all fools and not conscious of the fact that any amendments are always put before the respective Congress for approvals and ratification.
The changes that he is suggesting were all after I was elected to the posts of President of the International Hockey Federation in 2016 and President of the Indian Olympic Association in 2017 and as such had completely no bearing on the election process in 2016 and 2017 respectively.
It is evident that Mr. Mittal is trying to dishonour me with his dubious and motivated claims and is providing his interpretation on various documents and Articles all while providing partial and incomplete information/details to cause misconception within the Indian and global sports community, all while he has a single minded personal motive to be the President of the Indian Olympic Association.
I can only say that his actions are irresponsible, reckless and solely directed only to defame me.
*Finally, I apologise to the hockey community that unnecessary internal issues within the Indian Olympic Association are taking up your valuable time and I do hope you and your families are all in good health and are staying safe during these unprecedented times.*
*I request you to please accept the above clarifications and take the same on record and please excuse the brief reply that is forced to be sent over whatsApp.*
Unfortunately, as you might be aware that my family is currently combating a Covid-19 outbreak in my home where 8 Members are Covid-19 positive and as such I am in quarantine and unable to leave my residence.
I am not scheduled to return to the office until after 26 June 2020 however once in the office I will send a more detailed reply to refute the allegations made by Mr. Mittal.
Thanking you and stay safe.
Warm Regards
*Narinder Dhruv Batra*
President
International Hockey Federation.
Stick2Hockey.com
Scottish League season 2019/20 is now completed
Following the suspension of hockey due to the unprecedented situations presented by the Covid-19 virus, Scottish Hockey can confirm that the 2019/20 league season is now completed for Scottish Hockey’s Premiership; National; Championship; and Regional leagues.
Scottish Hockey’s Management Committee considered all options to complete the 2019/20 season in full on the pitch, as well as partial completion of the season, in detail, and reached the unanimous decision, endorsed by the Scottish Hockey Board, that it is sadly now not possible to complete all the remaining fixtures on the pitch.
The 2019/20 cup and plate competitions are also now completed.
There will be no winners awarded for season 2019/20, and no automatic promotion or relegation, however with the majority of leagues completing over 60% of matches there is clearly a wish for the endeavour of clubs to be recognised. Therefore, teams have been given a placing (see bottom of this page) based on their performance up until hockey was suspended.
The final league rankings for the 2019/20 season have been determined using average points per match, based on the matches completed prior to competitions being suspended.
Scotland’s European representatives, based on these rankings, will be Grange (EHL); Western Wildcats (Men’s EuroHockey Trophy); Clydesdale Western and Edinburgh University (both Women’s EuroHockey Challenge 1).
Three guiding principles were established as part of our decision making process: health and safety; fairness; and practicality.
From the outset of the process we aimed to ensure that no team is negatively impacted by the current circumstances, and as such, there will be no teams automatically relegated or promoted this season.
League Season 2020/21
We are currently considering the most suitable approach for season 2020/21. The Board of Scottish Hockey recognises that the Management Committee was not established to operate in these unprecedented times and so it has been determined that the powers of the Management Committee be suspended at present and that a task force be created, that includes members of the Board and the Management Committee, to consider our approach for season 2020/21.
It is intended that the task force will consult with member clubs with a view to building a route map, aligned to Scottish Government guidance, for the season ahead.
The timeline for this task force is as follows:
19 June: task force appointed
10 July: consultation with clubs
24 July: decision
We will release our working scenarios document outlining the process of how the decisions regarding season 2019/20 were made along with the task force appointments.
Season completion – FAQ
What does completion mean?
The current suspension of hockey will continue and no further games will be played in the 2019/20 season.
Why can’t the remaining games be played ahead of the next season?
As part of the decision-making process, all options to complete the 2019/20 season in full, as well as partial completion of the season, were considered.
Due to the level of uncertainty around facilities; social distancing; teams’ access to players; universities; and government restrictions, it is not possible to confirm with certainty when hockey will resume. This break in continuity also means that any restart would not be a fair reflection of the teams who began the 2019-20 campaign.
Next season will start afresh when it is safe and possible to do so.
What is Scottish Hockey’s decision regarding league winners, promotion and relegation?
There is no automatic promotion or relegation in season 2019/20. There will be no winners awarded for season 2019/20. However, with the majority of leagues completing over 60% of matches there is clearly a wish for the endeavour of clubs to be recognised. Therefore, teams have been given a placing based on their performance up until hockey was suspended. Placings were calculated by using average points per game to determine the final positions within the league, see further details below.
It was determined that to relegate any team without fulfilling all fixtures would be unfair. Therefore, in season 2019/20 there will be no relegations.
How were placings worked out?
All games played before the suspension (00:01 on 14 March 2020) were included in calculating league standings. Placings were calculated by using average points per game to determine the final positions within the league.
The points per game average for each team was calculated by dividing the number of games played by the total points gained. In the event that two teams were equal after establishing their points per game average, goal difference was used to rank the teams.
Why was points per game average used?
Due to the uneven number of games played within leagues it was determined that the fairest calculation was the points per game average as this aligned with our principle of fairness, and ensures that no team was disadvantaged/advantaged as a result of less/more games played.
Why are the standings in Men’s National League 2 and Men’s National league 3 different than what is shown on the Scottish Hockey website?
Prior to the announcement that all hockey would be suspended there were two forfeited games due to be played on the 14th March. It was decided to exclude these games from the average points per game calculation as they were due to be played after the suspension, which begun on 14th March.
Who will represent Scotland in European competitions next season?
Scotland’s European representatives for next season have been determined by the 2019/20 points per game placings. This was unanimously approved in a vote by the Management Committee who felt teams competing in the 2019/20 season are a more accurate reflection of competitive standards than that of team positions from the previous season.
From the men’s Premiership, Grange and Western Wildcats will compete in Europe. In the women’s Premiership, Clydesdale Western and Edinburgh University will play in Europe.
Are the cup and plate competitions still going to be played?
No further cup or plate games will take place in season 2019/20 and no winners will be awarded.
Will clubs be offered a refund or credit for the 2019/20 season?
Yes, all teams involved in our leagues will be offered 40% credit for their entry fee of next season’s competitions, or have the opportunity to allocate that money to support Scottish Hockey youth teams in 2021.
What does this mean for youth competitions?
Recently Scottish Hockey announced that all domestic youth competitions planned for the period up until the end of August have been cancelled.
This includes the U12, U14 and U16 festivals in May and June. The U16 National Club Cup and the U14 Inter Districts.
Are cards and suspensions carried over to next season?
Yes, any individual who received a match ban that was not served in season 2019/20 will have their ban carried over to the first games of next season.
Any yellow cards that were given in 2019/20 season will stand and as per the discipline code, any individual who accumulates four yellow cards in the same competition within any 12 month period will receive a suspension.
When will next season start?
We will be guided by the Scottish Government and public health authorities in making any decision to resume hockey. We will consult with clubs to establish their readiness to restart formal competitions and any specific barriers they may face.
What is the format of next year’s competitions?
Scottish Hockey will be consulting with our clubs on the structures for organised competitions next year. The consultation documents will be sent to our clubs by 10 July.
How many teams will get relegated from each league in season 2020/21?
We need to wait for league structures to be finalised before we confirm this. We plan to work to the principal that every team that wins their league will have a chance to be promoted either automatically or through a playoff, and at least every side that finishes bottom of a league will either be relegated or face a relegation playoff. If there is a significant change to the structures in 2020-2021 there may be a requirement for further relegation. This will be communicated in advance of any league starting.
Who will be on the task force?
The Scottish Hockey Board will appoint the task force and its members will be circulated with the initial consultation.
What happens if our team wants to play in a lower league?
When the structures are confirmed for the upcoming seasons, clubs will submit their entry forms. If a team wishes to play in a lower league, then they should speak to the Competitions and Events Manager who can advise.
I want more information
If you have any further questions, or any feedback, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Final league rankings for the 2019/20 season
These ranking have been determined using average points per match.
Scottish Hockey Union media release
A day to confront the M'sian Hockey Confederation
IF trenchant questions are asked, things could turn sticky at the Malaysian Hockey Confederation's (MHC) webinar session today.
Titled "The true story about hockey — performance, discipline and integrity are the criteria of selecting players", the webinar (at 3pm) will be held after the MHC executive board meeting.
"We would like to explain to the public what it takes to be selected for the national team. The three ingredients are pivotal if one wants to don national colours.
"The public is welcome to ask questions. Our experienced panel will provide the answers," said MHC president Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal.
National coach Roelant Oltmans, three-time Olympian Mirnawan Nawawi and two-time Olympian Nasihin Nubli are the speakers while Subahan is the moderator.
Following Malaysia's failure to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics, the MHC had a heart-to-heart session with the players and coaches to get to the bottom of the matter.
And when Oltmans named his 34-man training squad for the now-postponed Azlan Shah Cup in February, the Dutchman left out the Saari brothers, Faizal and Fitri, and captain Shukri Mutalib.
Oltmans' immediate goal is to rebuild the national squad. He has included 11 new faces, mostly scouted from the Malaysia Hockey League, which ended on Feb 22.
The social media was abuzz with Oltmans' decision, and many had harsh words for the 66-year-old as they felt the three players could still contribute to the nation.
The confederation, however, stressed that the door is not shut on those who failed to make the training squad.
The national trainees are expected to report for training next week after being cooped up for months amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
It will be interesting to see if Oltmans has a change of heart.
The trainees are eager to get back on the pitch.
National trainee Tengku Ahmad Tajuddin Tengku Abdul Jalil tweeted: "Yeaayy! Finally! Weapon (hockey stick) test (sic) ... take care and stay safe everyone."
And those seeking answers on the future of Malaysian hockey can ask the Webinar speakers today.
New Straits Times
Hockey fraternity frustrated by stadium closure
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has given permission to open sports complexes and stadia for athletes to train with personal coaches.
By Ashok Venugopal
V Baskaran, Olympian and president of the Chennai Hockey Association (CHA)
CHENNAI: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has given permission to open sports complexes and stadia for athletes to train with personal coaches. After weeks of waiting, cricketers are allowed to train at Chepauk. Select tennis players and fencers can also train at SDAT facilities. But the SDAT-MRC Stadium that houses facilities for hockey, tennis and volleyball remains closed. Members of the hockey fraternity are not happy that players are not able to train.
“There is no news when the hockey facility will open for practice. They (SDAT) could have contacted us, held meetings and could have asked us how to go forward as hockey is an Olympic sport. We were not invited to any of the meetings and the MRC Stadium is closed,’’ said V Baskaran, Olympian and president of the Chennai Hockey Association (CHA).
Sources tracking developments indicate that players training for Olympics and those who are in the Future Champion scheme of the SDAT are given preference. “It is not fair to concentrate only on a few sets of players. What if a current hockey player from Tamil Nadu gets selected to play in the Olympics next year? What is required is a clear set of protocols and SOP which we will follow. Players are eager to resume training. The CHA league is competitive and helps players improve their skill sets. You need some practice and get in touch with the game to play when the league resumes once the lockdown is over and the situation improves,’’ said the former Olympic gold medal winning captain. Baskaran insists that players will follow social distancing and not get into contact with one another.
This can be done by having only specific drills. “We will ensure social distancing. Players will not train in groups. They can dribble alone to have a feel of the turf, practise conversion of penalty corners and strokes. They can practise ball possession. Just running on the turf with a hockey stick itself would do a lot of good to their morale,’’ said the former Indian coach. Dronacharya awardee A Srinivasa Rao is sad that table tennis facilities are still under lockdown.
The SDAT-AKG table tennis development centre at Nehru Stadium is among those. “Since in the area around Nehru Stadium there are a lot of coronavirus cases and with migrant workers too at the stadium, I think they have not opened the facility for table tennis yet. Like they have given permission to select athletes to train, they can allow Sharath Kamal too to train at the SDATAKG facility. He will follow protocols and start training with a robot. Returning to the game will be a psychological boost for him,” said Rao.
Indian Express
In Birmingham, a hockey club comprising Indian, Pakistani and Kenyan origin players fights discrimination
Barford Tigers, formed in 1966, has been pushing for higher representation of minorities in British hockey.
By Mihir Vasavda
Barford Tigers is one of the two diaspora teams that has played in England’s top division, other being Indian Gymkhana. (extreme right) Sukhdev Gill, the club’s vice-president
In the summer of 1966, a dozen or so students of Indian, Pakistani and Kenyan origins from the deprived areas of Birmingham faced a dilemma.
The teenaged hockey players had finished their schooling but wanted to continue playing the sport. So their teacher, an Englishman named Malcolm Challoner, reached out to the top clubs in the region. For days, there was no response. Challoner got the hint and he, the story goes, told his wards: “Nobody really wants you. If you want to play hockey, we would have to form a club.”
Thus, in June that year, Barford Tigers was born.
Last week, days before its 54th birthday, the club posted a stark black image on its social media handles with a message ‘Blackout Tuesday’, in solidarity with the ongoing protests against racism in the wake of George Floyd’s death in the United States.
For Barford Tigers it was natural to be drawn to this cause.
Since 1966, this self-funded club – largely comprising players who have Indian, Pakistani and Kenyan heritage – has been fighting discrimination and pushing for higher representation of minorities in British hockey.
“It’s a struggle, there’s no doubt about it,” says Barford vice-president Sukhdev Gill, who is also an advisory board member of Sporting Equals, an organisation that promotes participation of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities in sport. “But it’s more than colour. It’s the hard-wired mentality with respect to British-Asians that has been festered for decades.”
Since the protests broke out, the issue of lack of diversity in the England and Great Britain hockey teams has been highlighted by several players. The picture of England under-21 player Darcy Bourne – face partially covered, looking into the camera and holding up a board that reads ‘Why is ending racism a debate?’ – went viral after it was shared by the son of Martin Luther King.
Later, The Telegraph reported that just four BAME hockey players have represented Great Britain at a senior level. “There are a limited number of black role models in hockey. As a young person, without meaning to, you do look up to people who look similar to you. In hockey I didn’t have that,” Bourne was quoted as saying.
For British-Asians, there is no dearth of role models. Kulbir Bhaura, born in Jalandhar, and Imran Sherwani, with Pakistani ancestry, played influential roles in Great Britain winning the men’s gold medal at the 1988 Olympics. At the 1996 Games, Great Britain had Indian-origin players Soma Singh and Kalbir Takher in their team.
Since the turn of the century, however, no British-Asian player has made it so far. Gill, 68, says it has to do more with perception and lack of opportunities, than the players not having the requisite skills.
It’s been like that for decades. After Barford came into existence, Gill says Challoner converted an ambulance into a team bus and even got a £10 donation from a Commonwealth officer for t-shirts and balls. But for an upstart club with Asian and East African players who studied in inner-city schools, it was a struggle just to convince other teams to play them.
“The boys had aspirations to play against the stronger teams in the Greater Birmingham area. But the established clubs would say, ‘naah, why would we play a bunch of Asians working in factories’,” Gill, who was born in Sansarpur, Punjab, and moved to Birmingham in 1964, says.
It was only after the club’s junior team won a reputed regional tournament in 1971 that others began to take them seriously. Since then, the club has grown and become a sort of home for players from Asian and East African diasporas. From nothing, Barford reached as far as playing in England’s premier league and managed a best finish of sixth (their London-based rivals Indian Gymkhana are the only other diaspora side to have a Premier Division past).
Yet, Gill believes a generation of talented players has been lost because domestic coaches have turned their backs on British-Asians. “Like I said, it’s more than an issue of colour. It’s about perception and expectation,” says Gill, a retired scientific officer in Britain’s Ministry of Defence. “There are underlying assumptions about Indians and British-Asians which affect the players.”
Gill, however, has not lost hope. From shuttling between venues in an ambulance, Barford players have moved on and use their own cars on match days. Finding opponents isn’t tough anymore and the club receives financial support from British-Asian establishments in Birmingham.
Despite the lack of sponsors, it has become a magnet for hockey lovers across the Asian diaspora in Britain. The men’s team is a mix of players with Indian, Pakistani and Kenyan backgrounds along with some indigenous players, Gill says, while the women’s side comprises Indian, African, Chinese, mixed-race and white players.
He hopes to see similar diversity in the national teams. “My only thing is, don’t pre-judge people. Give them a fair chance. Right now, the difficulty is people are not ready to have open discussions about things that are unfair,” he says. “But I am optimistic. We will engage as much as we can.”
Indian Express
Racism in hockey: It’s time to open the dialogue and fix the issue
By Stephen Williams
Midlands coach Stephen Williams says more can be down to welcome people from all backgrounds to hockey PIC: PerfX Hockey
Racism in hockey is nuanced. It’s not always abusive, although, as Tendo Kimuli explained in The Hockey Paper last week, it can be. Often though, it is disguised in the subtle use of language and implicit stereotyping. To see England Hockey release a statement, and for Nick Pink to reach out to Tendo in relation to his claims, is refreshing. Yet, to ensure hockey is free of discrimination we must be proactive, not reactive. There is no easy fix, but light must be shed on the issue. And more must be done to welcome all those from different backgrounds into hockey, so that it is truly a game for everybody.
To understand my view on racism in the sport I love, you need to appreciate my background. I was born and raised in England, with Indian heritage on my paternal side. My mixed race has meant I have had hurdles thrown at me that maybe other people wouldn’t have.
At an early age I became aware that the colour of my skin was being used as ammunition for bullies, and, as a result, I never wanted to be one of the people who hung around with the Indian kids in case I was stereotyped, and that was used against me. When I was seven my parents got married and I took my father’s surname, which gave bullies another reason to come at me. Aged 14, and already aware I wanted to be a PE teacher, I changed my name back to Williams, not wanting to give children in the future an opportunity to mock me.
I have gone on to make my livelihood in hockey as a coach, and I don’t believe being mixed race has stunted my progress. However, my experiences as a child and my observations over the years have shaped the way I behave. They have also influenced my understanding of how covert racial stereotyping exists in the sport. The global protests in the last few weeks have shown us that racism is a much wider issue than just hockey, but we need to take pride in ourselves and cut it out in our own community.
I initially came to notice racism in hockey when I was younger, and it was presented in an openly abusive manner. When I was 16 I was quite quick, so I would just knock the ball one way go the other way, and no one would catch me. I would hear people say “catch the Paki”. I don’t think it was necessarily meant as an insult but just a way to get under my skin, but it is quite clearly offensive.
Now, as a coach, I often overhear players make comments about an opponent’s race. Commonly, the comments are not made in an abusive manner, but as an explanation for someone’s ability. I often hear things along the lines of: “They are skillful because they are Indian” or “They have close ball control because they are Asian”. It does a disservice to their craft and the hours they have spent practising.
Perhaps it has come as a result of the success of India and Pakistan in the latter part of the 20th century. Imran Sherwani’s prominence in Great Britain’s 1988 Olympic gold medal winning side gave further rise to the belief that Asians were, and are, inherently good hockey players. It has got to the point that to be recognised as an Asian hockey player is a compliment, but, put simply, it is profiling. It has an effect on the individual, who doesn’t want the label of being the good Asian player, but just a good player.
It happens to the black community too. You hear people say things like “He is going to be fast, he is going to be rapid”. Well, actually, you are just stereotyping on the basis of someone’s ethnic background, and you may not consider yourself racist but you are racial profiling.
In a similar vein, when Rhys Smith, or Darren Cheeseman 10 years earlier, broke into the GB team, people were saying “have you heard about the black lad who broke into the GB team”, and it shouldn’t have been about his ethnicity. Rhys was young and breaking onto the international scene. That’s awesome; that is what should be being talked about and not his race.
In my experience, the comments are predominantly made by those at a grassroots level. I put that down to the better players not caring as much about the ethnicity of others. A good sportsman doesn’t care whether you are black, white, Indian, they are more bothered about ability. Stereotyping and discrimination, which can have a tremendous impact on individuals and dictate the way they live their lives, and the decisions they make, shows the perpetrator doesn’t have great knowledge of the game. If they knew more, they would realise anyone can be skillful.
It’s difficult to stamp out. The old adage of ‘change takes time’ exists for a reason, and I am not claiming to know the answers. If no one ever mentioned the fact that Indians are skillful or black lads are fast, then kids wouldn’t hear it and it might be eradicated, or at least suppressed.
The fact that racism in hockey can appear subtly means it is really hard to detect and to identify. Therefore, it is hard to fix. You don’t know what you are campaigning for – it’s not solely about cutting out abuse, although that is important, and Tendo should be praised for speaking so openly about his experience. I hope that his comments will encourage others to do the same, but equally as important is limiting the stereotyping and the inadvertently offensive comments.
I would like to see our national governing body actively campaigning to welcome people from all backgrounds, along a route of respecting others, regardless. England Hockey set up a diversity and inclusion working group a year ago, yet the visible work produced from it is negligible. They should be speaking to people like Tendo and Rhys, who has a voice with the Inner City community, as well as Asian and black players at the grassroots level to see what can be done.
To understand racism in hockey, try to understand our views and seek to realise how we feel. Do not presume that there are no issues because racism is not explicit and obvious in nature, or because issues are not being raised or spoken about. By ignoring racism, hockey is guilty of condoning it, and ceasing to be the welcoming sport that it claims to be. It is time to open the dialogue and fix the issue.
Stephen Williams, hockey coach and director of PerfX Hockey, was speaking to Oliver Godden.
The Hockey Paper
A new vision for English umpiring: providing resources, tools and support
Umpire watches on as Hampstead & Westminster take on Stourport
A player bursts out of defence and charges down the pitch. He or she is impeded on route to goal, but the whistle isn’t blown and the player is able to slip past the final defender and slam the ball home. It is a glorious sporting moment and it has been made possible because a highly skilled umpire knew to hold their whistle and not stop the game mid-flow.
It is moments such as these that drive home the need for umpires to be as well-prepared as the athletes they are officiating. The men and women on the side of the pitch are crucial to the sport, which is why it is so important there is a top-quality umpire coaching and development programme – for all levels of umpiring – in place across the whole country.
It is also important that, for umpires, clear leadership and clear pathways exist. For every player dreaming of a place at a Commonwealth Games, a World Cup or an Olympic Games, so too our umpiring community should be inspired to reach their own highest levels of performance.
All of which explains why, since 2017, England Hockey, the National Programme Umpiring Association (NPUA) and the Regional Hockey Umpiring Associations have been working on a new vision for umpiring to ensure that support, development and opportunities available to umpires at all levels is right for the game in the 2020s and beyond.
Central to plans is the creation of a unified, inclusive umpiring community in England, that is nationally led but locally delivered. In short, this is to provide umpires at every level of our game with the resources, tools and support to enable them to umpire at their desired level.
Over 1,600 matches per week in adult leagues are umpired by volunteers at adult club level, with the majority of these undertaking umpiring duties around their playing commitments. The availability of these volunteer umpires currently varies from region to region due to the inconsistent approach by leagues on the competencies of umpires required at the local level of adult leagues.
For clubs, their interest in this area is to ensure that the right umpires are umpiring the right matches throughout the club, whilst having a supportive structure to promote umpiring opportunities around individual’s playing commitments. This is where amendments to league rules and a focus on the development of umpires at club level is at the heart of a new, inclusive, umpiring community in England.
Currently, 37 different Hockey Umpiring Associations (HUAs) provide umpire training, development and support across England, often in very different ways. Bringing together all of these associations and providing a framework of delivery allows consistency in approach for all umpires across the country. This would be achieved by striving towards one umpiring approach for England through a network of bodies working closely together in a ‘federated’ approach.
Mark Everard, Chairman of the NPUA, says: “Now is the right time for us to look at creating a new structure. If the resolution is approved at the EH AGM, the hockey associations and leagues will be changing, so it makes sense to look at the umpiring world. There have been challenges recently with finding and recruiting new umpires, so a look at the overall pathway for umpires would coincide with working collaboratively with the whole of umpiring in this country to achieve a common goal of supporting the game."
There are also, currently, a huge number of umpires operating within the club system who are not known to Hockey Umpiring Associations and so get little in the way of support and development. These umpires are the lifeblood of the game – their retention is crucial. Among the many measures planned under the new structure to cater for the army of umpires currently servicing club hockey is a direct membership offer for individuals and clubs.
Annette Badger of the North HUA says: “A new structure could achieve greater standardisation and consistency of umpiring across the country. Development activities would be delivered by Club Umpire Developers (CUD) and the local umpiring community. Under a new structure, umpires would have a greater sense of identity and “belonging”. Retention and an individual’s rate of progress along the pathway would be much improved for all clubs and umpiring appointing bodies”.
This final point touches on another issue. How do we encourage young people to take up the whistle? If an umpire is to reach elite level and represent England on the international stage, then he or she needs to start umpiring at an early age, not wait until their playing days are over.
Colin Jones of the Midlands HUA acknowledges that ‘generally, people want to play rather than umpire’. However, he adds that adding umpiring to their hockey skill set can have huge benefits for their own game, including the development of a greater understanding of the game and its rules; and seeing the game from another angle – something that will help game awareness.
“Umpiring in not just for ‘old’ people. We must not lose sight of the fact that youngsters are the future of our game. And for ambitious youngsters, this is also another means of making it to the top,” adds Jones. “By introducing umpiring at an earlier age, as well as giving individuals the opportunity to umpire and play, this will support our game and improve the standard of umpiring for all of our game.”
Reiterating the need to attract more people into taking up the whistle, Bridget Midwinter from the Southern Counties HUA says: “Umpiring, while providing a service to the game, is also a hobby, and we don’t want it to be regarded as a chore. We do want people to enjoy taking part in the game, albeit with a whistle rather than a stick, and gain satisfaction from a job well done.”
Aside from a clearer, aligned and nationally-recognised pathway, a new structure will also remove the many instances of duplication in administration that can be confusing, as well as making the system far more transparent and accountable.
England Hockey’s timeline will include extensive consultation at all levels in the game, with current HUAs and clubs, to provide time a transition from current structures to the new structure.
Bridget Midwinter says the working group has recognised that most people are ‘time-poor’ and offers reassurance that following an umpire pathway is not going to take up every valuable second of spare time. It is, she says, about working ‘smarter’.
‘A new structure would not provide a magic wand, and we don’t foresee a sudden influx of umpire support resources,’ says Midwinter. ‘However, there is no doubt that we can work ‘smarter’, particularly if we take the opportunity to share best practice between the various delivery areas for umpiring.
And Colin Jones adds: ‘Many club members are unaware of how they can become umpires. A new approach will help to enable a consistent message and approach to be locally delivered to the clubs. This will include details of how to start on an umpiring career, even if that is just within the club environment.’
Mark Everard also says “In five years’ time I would like to see a unified identity for umpiring across the country, with the appropriate umpires appointed to the appropriate games, with coaching available not only on neutrally appointed games but inside of clubs to help with the understanding of umpiring and improve both the umpires’ and the players’ experience on game day.”
The vision outlined by the working group will lead to consistency and alignment of umpiring across the country but more pertinently to the hockey community, it will provide umpires with resources, support and opportunities to take their umpiring to the level to which they aspire – whether that is the local club scene, national league or to international standard.
To see a presentation outlining this vision, please click here or on the image below.
To support umpiring during COVID-19, England Hockey are hosting online seminars and courses aimed at new and existing umpires from all levels of the game. Details can be found on the Hockey Hub which can be found by clicking here.
If you have any questions about the Vision document or other aspects of Umpiring, please contact David Elworthy (England Hockey’s Officiating Relationship Manager) This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
England Hockey Board Media release