News for 17 November 2020
All the news for Tuesday 17 November 2020
Asian Champions Trophy hockey: India play Pakistan on March 13 - full schedule
The Indian hockey team will start its campaign against Japan on March 11 in Dhaka.
By Naveen Peter
The Indian hockey team will resume its international commitments next year with a clash against Japan in the Asian Champions Trophy opener in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
The Manpreet Singh-led side has been out of action since playing the FIH Pro League tie against Australia in February. India will look at the continental event as a tune-up to the 2021 season that includes the Olympic Games in Tokyo.
The match against Japan on March 11, the opening day of the event, will be followed by a clash against the hosts Bangladesh on the following day.
The highly-anticipated India vs Pakistan tie is scheduled for March 13, with the Graham Reid-coached team completing its league engagements with matches against Malaysia and South Korea on March 15 and 16, respectively.
The semi-finals are slated for March 18 while the Asian Champions Trophy final will be played on the following day.
Midfielder Sumit believes the Asian Champions Trophy will help the Indian hockey team gauge their levels ahead of the Olympics.
The Indian hockey team has been out of action for the majority of the year. But preparations for the upcoming season at the national camp in Bengaluru are in full swing.
“We have been very fortunate to resume training. The sessions are planned in such a way that we play matches against each other where we are expected to bring out our best,” Indian midfielder Sumit told Hockey India last week.
“The Asian Champions Trophy next year will show the level we are at and how much we will need to further improve ahead of the Olympic Games.”
India have won the Asian Champions Trophy three times – in 2011, 2016 and 2018 - where they were crowned champions jointly with Pakistan after the final was abandoned due to poor weather. The Indian hockey team was also runners-up in 2012.
Asian Champions Trophy 2021 schedule, fixtures and times for India
All times are in Indian Standard Time (IST)
Thursday, March 11
Japan vs India - 3:00 PM IST
Bangladesh vs Malaysia - 5:30 PM IST
South Korea vs Pakistan - 8:00 PM IST
Friday, March 12
India vs Bangladesh - 3:00 PM IST
Malaysia vs Pakistan - 5:30 PM IST
Japan vs Korea - 8:00 PM IST
Saturday, March 13
India vs Pakistan - 3:00 PM IST
Malaysia vs South Korea - 5:30 PM IS
Bangladesh vs Japan - 8:00 PM IST
Sunday, March 14
Rest Day
Monday, March 15
Malaysia vs India - 3:00 PM IST
South Korea vs Bangladesh - 5:30 PM IST
Pakistan vs Japan - 8:00 PM IST
Tuesday, March 16
India vs South Korea - 3:00 PM IST
Japan vs Malaysia - 5:30 PM IS
Pakistan vs Bangladesh - 8:00 PM IST
Wednesday, March 17
Rest Day
Thursday, March 18
Fifth/sixth place match - 3:00 PM IST
Semi-final 1 - 5:30 PM IST
Semi-final 2 - 8:00 PM IST
Friday, March 19
Third/fourth place match - 5:30 PM IST
Final - 8:00 PM IST
Olympic Channel
Former winger Khalid relives Pakistan’s golden age of Olympic hockey
Hameed Khalid
Pakistan have earned 10 Olympic medals in total – and eight of them were won by their powerhouse men’s hockey side. Few teams are remembered with more affection than their last gold-medal winners, from Los Angeles 1984. Hameed Khalid, the side’s star down the left wing, recalls an extraordinary journey from playing street ball to the top of the Olympic podium.
When most people think of sport in Pakistan, their mind usually turns to cricket. These days it is like a religion; its players are superstars. But back in the sixties, seventies and eighties, hockey reigned supreme in the Asian country.
“Hockey was much more popular than cricket back then,” said Hameed Khalid, one of the key players at the Olympic Games Los Angeles 1984. “We had won the Olympic gold medal in 1960 and 1968, and the World Cup in 1971, 1978 and 1982. In schools and colleges, it was all about hockey. You’d play during your break time for an hour. You would play on your street. Every kid wanted to be a hockey player. They were heroes, like basketball players in the USA. We listened to commentary on the radio, and wanted to be like them.”
Khalid helped inspire Pakistan to their third gold medal in the men’s event in August 1984: those three wins remain his country’s only Olympic golds. Competition for places in the squad was incredibly fierce, but the left winger was one of the hardest, most dedicated players around.
Hameed Khalid
“I had to struggle to become a player,” said Khalid, now 59. “I remember asking my mum for a stick and she said, ‘No, there is no need to play this game’. Eventually, aged 14, I got enough money and travelled one hour from my city, Gujranwala, to buy a stick. I loved it and practised a lot.
“I then went to my local club and sat on the sidelines. Nobody asked me to play, but eventually I befriended some players and got a match. I worked so hard on my game. Three hours in the morning, three hours every night.
“I would also train by doing eight or nine 100m sprints on sand. It got me really fit. I was so tired, sometimes I didn’t know where I was. But then I would stand up and run 100m again. I’d say, ‘I have to get to the Olympics, I have to work’. When I was eventually selected for the Olympics, I was so excited I didn’t sleep for two days straight.”
Hockey was tactically different back then. Indian and Pakistani players were renowned for their tricky, skilful, dribble-and-dodge style of play, in an era before the event became dominated by powerful, super-fit athletes. “We had no real training facilities, and I didn’t even have a good pair of shoes to play in until 1980, when my coach gave me a pair,” Khalid said. “I was so happy when he did; I ran round my room in them for ages.
“Travelling to America was very exciting. I had been to Europe to play hockey before, but never the USA. The President of Pakistan gave us a reception at his residency before we went. I was 22, and I’d achieved my dream to become an Olympian.
“Los Angeles was amazing. We went to the beach, to Hollywood, all the famous sites. But the best place was the Olympic Village. I still remember it very clearly. We went running round, and all you could see was people in their colours from everywhere in the world. It was just track tops and shorts, and everyone was so friendly. I wish the whole world could be like the Olympic Village. No politics, no abuse, everyone as one. You just concentrate on what you are good at.”
Hameed Khalid
Pakistan were unstoppable at LA ’84, and Khalid was a force to be reckoned with. “We were a very good team,” he said. “We played so well together. We had Hassan Sardar up front scoring the goals, our captain was an excellent leader and we had a very good young goalkeeper.
“I was pleased with how I played. We beat Australia in the semi-final, who were a team that we had struggled against in the past. After the match, their coach said that he hadn’t fielded one of their best players, David Bell, because he didn’t think he was physical enough to stop me. They put a younger boy on me instead. We won 1-0. But hockey is a team game. We all played our roles very well.”
The final, against West Germany, went to extra time, and Pakistan’s fitness proved vital. “It was 1-1, but we knew we were going to win because it was so hot and we coped much better with the heat,” Khalid said. “We were physically better than them, and we eventually made the score 2-1.
Hameed Khalid
“I remember afterwards there was lots of crying. Very few players who play this game get to play in an Olympic final and win a gold medal. Standing there with our anthem playing and our flag flying, I can never forget it.”
Immediately afterwards, he phoned his mum. “I said, ‘Remember when you told me not to play hockey?’ and we both laughed,” he said. “Everyone was ringing them and coming round their house at 3 a.m. to celebrate.”
Life would never be the same. Upon their return to Asia, the team were awarded land in Islamabad, given presidential medals and handed promotions – Khalid worked for the national airline – and were driven through the streets as heroes. “It took us three hours for us to get 9km; there were so many people,” he said. “I still get recognised all the time to this day.”
Khalid still works at the airline, but he is now also a selector. He coached the Pakistan national side who finished runners-up at the 1990 World Cup and won the 1994 Champions Trophy and the 1994 World Cup. Alas, he fears that his country’s golden days in the sport may not return any time soon. The reason? In a word, cricket.
“Cricket became very professional in Pakistan in a way hockey didn’t,” Khalid said. “Everyone watches the game on TV, it is very glamorous, the players are very famous. There is so much money in the sport. Hockey isn’t as professional so it can’t appeal as much.
“But a lot of people in Pakistan still love hockey, and we don’t forget that it is the sport we won our gold medals in. Hockey has become very modern but we are trying to catch up. We must work hard to do it.”
From those sandy 100m drills to the present day, nobody has worked harder for the game than Khalid.
IOC media release
Daly hoping to hit top gear in 2021
With positive noises the Olympic Games will go ahead – with or without fans – Nicci Daly is grateful for the long lead-in time as she looks to potentially sign off a remarkable career on the biggest stage.
When lockdown hit, the Loreto player was on the comeback trail after a number of niggles over the winter months. It meant a potential race against time for one of the Green Army’s most skillful players but the postponed Games meant the 32-year-old could look at a longer-term strategy to give her the best possible chance of selection.
“Coming back after six months off, the key thing is getting the body used to being in a ‘hockey position’ again!” she told The Hook at the 20×20 Show Your Skills finale this week.
“It seems to take a bit longer for me than others. I got through the last block [of training] well; I am not exactly where I want to be but I am happy with where I am going. It’s nice we do have this period of time before it really ramps up to gradually reach the levels I want.”
And that is the obvious focus now after such a long delay.
“You spend your whole career waiting for an Olympic Games. We waited a long time and it’s been a year since we’ve qualified. You’re looking forward to that moment. It was definitely tough to take at the time [it was postponed].
“We didn’t really know what was going to happen. It was hard to stay motivated. But now that we’ve gotten some positive messages coming from the Olympic Federation and Japan, in the sense that they are preparing for an Olympics, Covid or no Covid.
“As a player that’s getting a little bit older, I’d seen Tokyo as being the end for me. The training is tough. Sean [coach, Dancer] really emphasises a lot the physical side of the game and trying to run a lot with the ball, to be more of an attacking team.
“Is my body going to be okay tomorrow? Will I be able to keep going with what’s being asked of me? Having that down time was nice to be able rest and reassess.”
That latest block of training has seen several high-octane inter-squad fixtures with a number of young faces freshening things up with Katie-Jane Marshall, Caoimhe Perdue, Michelle Carey, Sarah Patton and Sarah MacAuley involved in those encounters.
It is an effort to replicate competitive club matches currently on hold and Daly welcomes seeing the new faces around even if it does mean another layer of competition to get into the final 16 for Tokyo.
“The new players have given us a new impetus and a fresh approach, new playing styles and skillsets which is nice to have. They have come in an integrated well so the training environment has been really good.
“It motivates everyone in the squad to do as well as they can. At the end of the day, we want the best squad going. If people can help push us on, it’s healthy. The young guns will certainly do that.”
Like team mate Katie Mullan, she is aware the Olympics may be a very different event to what has gone before but this could have minimal impact on the Green Army.
“We have been told it will be a different Olympics but we don’t have any experience of it. For us, when we get to competition time, we know its when we are at our best. If other teams are complacent, and not enjoying it because it’s not like before, we can take advantage and we are a good team for doing that!
“We know that Tokyo is going to be [one of] the hottest Olympics in the history of the Olympics so getting into those environments, and training and playing in those conditions is really important for us.”
2021 is likely to be her last year of international hockey, an exceptionally busy one with the European Championships also brought forward to account for the Tokyo delay.
“We want to go away in January. Whether or not the virus will allow that to happen, or current restrictions . . .Obviously we’ve got a European Championships to prepare for, which wasn’t in the original plan. So, it adds two major competitions into our schedule for next year.
“After I retire from hockey it would be nice to go back and try to do a little bit of work with a motorsport team – maybe in a different role, who knows?
“I went to the States for about two years and worked as a data engineer for the IndyLights programme with Juncos Racing. That was 2016-2018 – on and off, in between hockey, I did a full racing season with them. I did an off season with them as well in 2017.
“Since coming back in 2018, after the World Cup, it was preparing for the Olympics. After the World Cup, we entered a semi-professional program and it just didn’t allow me to keep working in that sport as I’d like to.”
The ever-changing restrictions did allow her to head over to France to mentor rising karting star Alyx Coby as she became the first Irish female driver to take on the IAME World Cup. 
AIG and 20×20 today marked the conclusion of the AIG Show Skills competition, launching a highlights video celebrating some of the 3,000 spectacular entries received over the course of the competition. As a proud 20×20 ambassador, Irish hockey international, Nicci Daly was on hand to help launch the video.Picture: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
It ties in neatly with the 20×20 campaign, one which Daly has embraced wholeheatedly. Last year, she brought together a who’s who of Irish sports women for a one-lap challenge while her lockdown skills videos in March were a large inspiration for the 20×20 promotion this week.
And she is keen to see the platform grow further.
“It’s something I have been involved with a lot! Even though it’s coming to an end, it doesn’t stop. It has given us a platform to build and the momentum, no matter what you are involved in.
“There’s always more that can be done to push the boundaries of what might be possible. For me with Formula Female, I have learned a lot from the campaign, especially the “Think it, ask it”. It’s brought up a lot of interesting topics that need to be addressed.
“The one-lap challenge introduced me to a lot of sportswomen who I was aware of but would never have had a conversation with. Since then, I know Jacqui Hurley has been great at getting like-minded people together.
“Everyone is on the same page and wants to achieve the same thing for women in sport. We all different roles to play – some play, some are behind the scenes, some are in the media. We all do what we can to move things forward.”
The Hook
Athlete Spotlight: Pat Harris
Each athlete that wears the red, white and blue has a unique story to how their careers came to fruition. From the junior level to the senior squad, USA Field Hockey is putting national team athletes under the spotlight to share their journeys.
The love of the game can take you anywhere in life, both talent-wise and globally. For 20 years, Pat Harris has channeled that passion into representing the U.S. Men’s National Team on the international stage in addition to various clubs around the world as an elite-athlete.
Harris has been a long-time believer in that the sport chose him, not the other way around. Field hockey has a lengthy tie to the family name starting with Pat’s father (David) and uncle (Tom). These two iconic siblings are a history lesson themselves, but their enthusiasm was quickly passed to the next generation to Pat and his brother, Sean.
“For my brother and I it was quite clear we were going to be involved in field hockey at some point,” said Harris. “I started playing when I was 5 in a small organized league in Moorpark, Calif. I didn’t realize it at the time, but looking back I now recognize how fascinated I was with the sport and how that fascination drove my work ethic and dedication to improve. For instance, when my father, my brother and myself would go to the training ground together, I would often head off on my own and attempt to mimic skills top international players were using. I was very motivated and particular about training. Things had to be perfect, which wasn't realistic of course, but I think this passion to be as perfect as possible played a huge factor in my individual growth as a young [field] hockey player."
In addition to practicing nearly every day among family, Harris gained experience on the field as a member of the Moorpark Coyotes club team through most of his youth. In 1996, still early in his athletic career, Harris attended the Olympic Games in Atlanta. While he noted that he can’t pinpoint just one defining moment that inspired him to one day represent Team USA, his memories of seeing acquaintances take the field for the red, white and blue in Atlanta was unique in putting him on a similar path.
“The U.S. Men were competing at the [Olympic] Games,” continued Harris. “Just being able to see them compete in an atmosphere like the Olympics, and even having the opportunity to speak to some of the players, sparked my ambition to one day have the chance to perhaps be a member of Team USA.”
Harris did not have to wait long to begin making that vigor a reality. At the age of 13, the Moorpark native tried out for the Junior U.S. Men’s National Teams. Despite only having U-18 and U-21 teams at the time, Harris exceeded all expectations and was named to the U-18 squad shortly after. Later on he moved up to the U-21 team before being named to the senior USMNT in 2000 at the age of 15.
While still at Moorpark High School at the time, Harris quickly ventured abroad not just for USA, but also club play in Europe. He had come a long way from his club life with the Moorpark Coyotes and was ever determined to take advantage of his playing opportunities. Harris began training with the oldest field hockey club in The Netherlands: Amsterdam Hockey and Bandy Club, starting with the U-16 and U-18 teams. In time he also had the chance to play a handful of matches with the club’s second team, which gave him the opportunity to compete with many legends of the game, most notably Taco van den Honert of The Netherlands.
It was just the tip of the iceberg for his career. By the age of 18, Harris branched his experience across the Northern and Southern hemispheres.
“From the ages of 18 to 22 I played small stints of club hockey in Germany, England and New Zealand before moving back to The Netherlands in 2008,” added Harris. There I played three years for Laren Mixed Hockey Club. In 2012, I moved to Germany and played eight years for Mannheimer Hockey Club, and just this year I moved to Leuven, Belgium to join the Royal Hockey Club Leuven. Club hockey, especially the versions I have been exposed to in Europe, has given me the opportunity to compete against, and with some of the world’s best, and a means to continuously develop my game over the years.”
His time in a USA uniform has also been memorable, filled with experience, life lessons and achievements. His first international cap was during the 2000 America’s Cup (a World Cup qualifying event) in Havana, Cuba, where he also tallied his first goal for the senior squad. Two decades later, USA’s No. 5 has collected 150 international caps amidst a variety of experiences in the U.S. Men’s Olympic Development Pipeline, ranging from frustration to jubilation.
“Some I would rather forget, like finishing seventh at the 2007 Pan American Games, and some I am very proud of such as winning the bronze medal at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru,” continued Harris. “Of all the years I have been involved, I see the most potential in the group that has been assembled over the past circa 5 to 6 years. There has been immense progress and I am excited for what the future holds for the group.”
In that timespan, the Wolfpack has clawed to multiple medal-winning competitions in addition to Lima, including bronze at the 2017 Men’s FIH Hockey World League Round 2 and men’s Pan American Cup.
It's hard to imagine his life without having the sport to mold him, but is grateful for it with every rising sun.
"I for sure would have missed the many people throughout the world who have positively influenced my life," admitted Harris. "I can remember so many experiences that have pushed me to become better, made me laugh, given me perspective, etc. The people I have met have shaped my life in many ways, so it's hard to imagine what life without hockey would or could have been I had chosen a different path."
Although he has been active throughout the world, Harris was able to continue his education through California University of Pennsylvania.
“My college experience was very relaxed in comparison to most I would say,” noted Harris. “I specifically chose California University of Pennsylvania because they offered bachelor’s and master’s sports programs that were completely online. I wanted a platform that would compliment my hockey commitments. The fact that I could complete my studies online allowed me the flexibility I needed to meet the demands of playing professionally in Europe and traveling and competing with the U.S. Men’s National Team.”
Now with more than three decades under his belt as an athlete, Harris’ passion of the game still burns strong wherever the road takes him and seizing every opportunity that comes his way.
I can remember so many experiences that have pushed me to become better, made me laugh, given me perspective, etc. The people I have met have shaped my life in many ways, so it's hard to imagine what life without hockey would or could have been I had chosen a different path.
Pat Harris
USFHA media release
Campo and Complutense strengthen position at top in Spain
Picture from UD Taburiente vs Club de Campo, Pic: Hockey Zoom
Madrid side Club de Campo and SPV Complutense went about their business in different manners but both strengthened their place at the head of the Spanish women’s Iberdrola league table over the weekend.
They were the only two sides in the top half of the table to win with Campo winning in some style in Las Palmas against UD Taburiente 6-0 while Complutense were 1-0 winners over fourth place Real Club de Polo.
Campo are a point clear of their local rivals as a result. Bea Perez got them off the mark in the 10th minute when she found the bottom corner. Pilar Campoy got to the baseline to setup the second, providing the perfect cross for Laura Barrios at the far post for 2-0 at half-time.
Alicia Magaz extended the lead early in the second half following a series of rebounds; Barrios got the next from a corner and a further goals from Begoña Garcia made it 5-0. Barrios completed her hat trick and the scoring with five minutes to go.
In Barcelona, a single goal from Lucía Jiménez, less than four minutes from the end of the game, gave SPV-Complutense three important points in a hotly contested battle.
Third placed Junior FC fell to a 3-2 loss to CH Sardinero with Belén Rogoski nabbing the vital goal two minutes from the end. They now fall five points back from second placed Complutense.
Fifth-placed CD Terrassa drew 1-1 with RS Tenis while sixth ranked Club Egara shared the spoils from their game with Real Sociedad on a 1-1 scoreline.
In the men’s competition, Atlètic Terrassa lead the way following a comfortable 8-0 away win over Giner de los Rios with Nil Escude scoring twice with six other players on the mark.
Pau Quemada got Egara’s only goal in a 1-0 win at Complutense, keeping them a point behind Atlèti but with a game in hand.
Real Polo are one more point off top spot, also with an extra game to play. They swept to a 9-2 win over bottom side Linia 22. In a lively opening, they led 3-2 before cutting loose with Marc Miralles firing a hat trick.
Club de Campo moved into fourth place with a 3-0 win over Junior while FC Barcelona drew 1-1 with RS Tenis.
Euro Hockey League media release
Online community comes together to support Zimbabwe hockey development
The month of November has been a busy one for the Zimbabwe Hockey Federation as they have held three online courses aimed at promoting the skill-set and knowledge base of umpires, technical officials and coaches.
What makes the three courses particularly special is that all the course educators are giving their time and expertise freely and the Zimbabwe Olympic Committee (ZOC) is covering the costs of the internet costs of all the candidates.
The solidarity and support shown by the international team of educators and the national Olympic Committee has been warmly welcomed by Sarah Bennett, who is Secretary General of the Zimbabwe Hockey Federation and chair of the Development Committee for the African Hockey Federation.
“These are exciting developments for our umpires, coaches and technical officials who have been selected to attend these courses,” says Bennett, who is herself a top level match official.
Through her FIH contacts, and with the support of the FIH and ZOC, Bennett was able to approach potential educators to see if they would be interested in helping with the initiative. As she explains, the national association would not have been in a position to run the courses had the educators not been willing to give their time and expertise freely.
The support offered by both the international hockey community and ZOC has also been praised by Tayyab Ikram, Chairman of the FIH Development and Education Committee: “Regarding the support of Zimbabwe NOC to the online courses, I believe it is a very good initiative. It is also a part of FIH ongoing online activities, which FIH has heavily involved itself with, during these pandemic times.
“We appreciate the support of the National Olympic Committee of Zimbabwe, who dedicated some of their resources to help these courses. I think Zimbabwe NOC’s special assistance will make them a really good partner with us to develop the coaches and officials in Zimbabwe. It is a very active approach and we appreciate this effort.”
Ikram also thanked Hero for its support for the initiative: “Hero has always been very proactive and leading to assist not only our show-case events but also the development of hockey throughout the world. Regarding this great initiative, we are pleased to offer the Zimbabwe Hockey Federation some of the opportunities offered by Hero.”
For Bennett, the courses are one step along the way to putting Zimbabwe back on the international stage: “As Zimbabwe hockey looks to grow the sport and get back on the world map, these courses will help by giving our coaches and officials the adequate tools and knowledge to be able to help with the development of hockey in Zimbabwe.
“We saw this as an opportunity to grow and give an opportunity to those that may not always have the means to further their technical knowledge in hockey,” added Bennett.
The three courses - FIH Level 1 Umpires Course, FIH Level 1 Technical Officials course and FIH Level 1 Coaches Course – each have 16 candidates.
Once qualified, the candidates will assist in local leagues and generally help Zimbabwe hockey continue its gradual return to a status that once saw it winning a gold medal at the Olympic Games (Moscow 1980).
The continued use of online resources for education and development is something that Ikram says has given the hockey workforce the opportunity to share knowledge on a grand scale. The Zimbabwe initiative is one such example.
“This was a good opportunity for us to engage our global network of the educators and get their advanced input for all our audience in different categories. So, I think this approach by Zimbabwe NOC and Zimbabwe Hockey Federation is an excellent best practice example.
“I am sure that many other Federations will also follow these footsteps, they will also use similar resources to advance their sports structures. As a matter of fact, it is already happening, but I think especially coming from the Zimbabwe National Olympic Committee and Zimbabwe Hockey Federation, it was an excellent initiative. We are thankful to everyone involved in this whole package.”
FIH site
Sports Ministry sanctions Rs 10 lakh for ailing Olympian MP Singh’s treatment
Former Indian hockey team coach Mohinder Pal Singh has been undergoing treatment for chronic kidney ailment.
File Photo: Mohinder Pal Singh (Right) represented Indian hockey team in the 1988 Olympics. - The Hindu Archives
The Sports Ministry on Monday disbursed Rs 10 lakh for the treatment of hockey Olympian Mohinder Pal Singh, who is suffering from a chronic kidney ailment and is currently on dialysis.
The money, sanctioned under the Pandit Deendayal Upadhaya National Welfare Fund for Sportspersons, was given to his wife Shivjeet Singh.
Speaking about the decision to extend financial support to Singh, Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju said, “MP Singh ji has contributed richly to hockey both as a player and a coach. His physical condition is a matter of great concern for all of us.
“Kidney treatment is an expensive treatment and we wanted to extend as much financial support as we could.
“I have also spoken to Mahesh Sharma ji, who is the Member of Parliament of Noida where MP Singh ji lives and a letter has also been sent from his office to PM Relief Fund so that the hospital bills can be paid through the fund.”
Recently, the Sports Minister met Shivjeet Singh and several other veteran hockey players to assure them of assistance from the Ministry.
MP Singh, who also served as the coach of the Indian hockey team, was an outstanding player who represented the country at various international events, including the 1988 Summer Olympics.
Sportstar