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News for 09 May 2021

All the news for Sunday 9 May 2021


2021 Test matches AUT v CZE (W) - 9 May

Wiener Neudorf (AUT)

8 May 2021     AUT v CZE   3 - 2
9 May 2021 11:00 (GMT +2)     AUT v CZE

FIH Match Centre



No go again for Azlan Shah Cup

By Jugjet Singh


This file pic dated March 26, 2019, shows Malaysia’s Faiz Jali (centre) in action against India during the 28th edition of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup at Azlan Shah Stadium in Ipoh. - NSTP/EFFENDY RASHID

Two knock-outs in two years! That's the Covid-19 versus the Azlan Shah Cup count, in which the virus has now won hands down.

The Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) officially announced the cancellation of this year's Azlan Shah Cup yesterday.

"Perak HA president Ahmad Sayuti informed us that the Sultan of Perak (Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah) has agreed to call off the Azlan Shah Cup because of the Covid-19 situation worldwide," said MHC president Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal yesterday.

Sayuti said: "The tournament will not be held this year due to travel restrictions and medical concerns brought by the pandemic.

"Tentatively, we have set April next year to host the Azlan Shah Cup."

The premier invitational tournament was also cancelled last year, the first time since its inception in 1983.

The Speedy Tigers, who are in dire straits of quality matches, were hoping to use the tournament, which was supposed to be held next month, to gauge their standard against top teams.

"The national team need quality matches.

"We will now try to organise an international friendly under the sports bubble concept, likely in December.

"Our national players are having a break now and will return to training in Bukit Jalil on May 17.

"We have the best facilities in the world at Bukit Jalil. The players will remain in camp until there are opportunities to play matches again," Subahan added.

New Straits Times



T&T Hockey Board’s Richardson, Mc Clean for Olympics


Reyah Richardson, left, and and Ayanna Mc Clean

For Tokyo 2020 Olympics which will take place from July 23, 2021, the Trinidad & Tobago Hockey Board (TTHB) will have two representatives at this prestigious global event in Ayanna Mc Clean (Umpire) and Reyah Richardson (Technical Official).

At previous Olympics Games Events, T&T has been represented by Willard Harris (Tournament Official) and Roger St Rose (Umpire).

When the FIH revealed the list of officials appointed for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 (which were originally planned for last year, but postponed due to the coronavirus, Richardson was named as one of the 14 Technical Officials, and only one of three from the Pan American region along with Argentine Adrian Della Mattia, and USA's Rene Zelkin.

Mc Clean, who officiated at the 2018 Commonwealth Games final in Gold Coast Australia and has officiated in the FIH World League this season was one of 14 umpires selected for the women's hockey competition, and one of four from the Pan American region, and only the second from this country behind Roger St Rose who officiated at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

The three other umpires from the Pan American zone selected were Argentines', Carolina De La Fuente and Irene Presenqui, and USA's Maggie Giddens

In accordance with the agreed guidelines and processes of FIH, all appointed Officials come from the FIH Pro League panels as these are the top-rated Officials.

While performance was the primary selection criteria, the Officials Committee also looked, as a secondary consideration, at the geographic spread of the officials to ensure that all continents are represented.

As a further demonstration of FIH’s “Equally Amazing” policy, the Technical Officials will work across both genders’ matches. Furthermore, while on field Umpires will be the same gender as the match, Video Umpires may be the other gender as has been successfully implemented during the FIH Pro League this year.

The Trinidad Guardian



Govia calls for compensation for T&T hockey teams, athletes

by Nigel Simon


T&T senior men’s indoor hockey men coach, Raphael Govia. FIH.org

National men’s senior indoor hockey team coach, Raphael Govia believes that it's about time athletes going on national duty be compensated for the loss of earnings at their respective jobs, mainly in the private sector.

Govia has been appointed coach of the senior men’s team which is set to defend its title at the upcoming Indoor Pan American Cups (IPAC) next month in the USA.

The tournament to be hosted by USA Field Hockey for both women and men will be held at the Training Center, Spring City, near Philadelphia and, Pennsylvania, from Friday, June 25 to Sunday, June 27, 2021, and will qualify teams to the 2022 FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup from 2 to 6 February 2022 in Liège, Belgium.

It was originally scheduled for February 2021 but was postponed due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The teams to qualify for the men’s competition so far are Iran, Kazakhstan (Asia), Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Netherlands, Russia (Europe), Belgium (Host), South Africa (Africa), Australia and New Zealand (Oceania) with the Pan American winner the lone team outstanding.

Four years ago in Georgetown, Guyana, Govia was also the coach of the T&T team who swept Argentina 7-0 in the final to qualify for the 2018 Indoor World Cup in Germany.

This time around, due to the coronavirus pandemic only four nations will be contesting the qualifiers inclusive of host USA, Canada, Argentina and T&T.

The four countries will contest a round-robin series ahead of their semifinals and final matches, with the winner qualifying to Belgium.

Govia told Guardian Media Sports on Saturday that players will be forced to be away from their jobs especially non-Governmental jobs providing there is an ease in lockdown restrictions by the time the tournaments come around and this is a worry to them as they are mainly the breadwinners in their families.

He said, “You are asking players to battle against Argentina Canada and host USA teams with many facilities available to them for preparations.

“And our indoor preparations time for a World Cup qualifier in these uncertain times of a worldwide pandemic has been tough.

“The start-stop timetable for training sessions with limited players in an indoor arena with 25 plus players is a bit tough logistically especially with just one proper facility that can take the preparations, the Woodbrook Youth Facility.

Despite the obstacles facing his players, Govia a former national player as well said he was still confident in his players and the team being able to get the job done.

“These are quality players that deserve the right to be prepared properly for a serious battle as we look to defend our title.

“So to me this is an unfair advantage due to the pandemic and our challenges down here all things considered the constant start-stop and uncertainty about tournament while watching the pandemic confusion it’s a mental uncertainty for the players in training as well,” stressed Govia.

“The term is 100 per cent ready could never exist under these conditions, I’m sorry to say.

“But I know these players are mentally trained for battle against all odds and once sharpened they will cause real problems to any opposition.

“However, we must also know that compensation for our athletes and officials is also key as long gone are the days where athletes go out there to battle without some sort of compensation and especially in these tough times financially as well.

Personally, Govia said common sense if any would promote total postponement of the tournament until the world has settled.

However, he feels that teams are eager to have it play with the hope that T&T does not participate or is underprepared due to the pandemic.

He explained that some nations want to qualify without big gun T&T being there, so therein lies the rush.

“For them, it's one less “Big Threat” to them for sure and as you know we are defending champions.

He boasted, “Our men are World Cup players and currently ranked tenth in the world and very feared.

“So I understand why certain top-ranked teams want this tournament to take place, maybe they feel T&T will not be ready.

“But these fellas have what it takes and it was proven under then Minister of Sport Darryl Smith in 2017.

“He (Smith) came through for the team and in return, they brought back gold.

“However, I’m glad the men are in their second week of constant preparations with the core key players like captain Solomon Eccles, goalkeeper Ron Alexander, Akim Toussaint, Mikel Pierre and Jordan Reynos are all back on the court.

“We also have the young talented Singh brothers in the fray along with ace outdoor striker Dylan Francis and the hard-working talented Byer brothers from Malvern.

"World Cup coach Darren Cowie is also on hand to fire up the boys," ended Govia.

Meanwhile, T&T men have appeared at two Indoor World Cup final after making their debut at the 2007 event in Vienna, Austria following a second-place finish behind host Canada at the 2005 Pan American Cup.

On April 28, the Pan American Hockey Federation wrote to the participating federations and noted that with its of retaking PAHF events, within this “new reality”, it has developed a document where the care of the participants is their main concern, but without forgetting the objective of the federation; that is to promote the game in a low-risk environment.

The document provides participants with operational safety guidelines to minimize risks at events and to safeguard the health of the players, officials and all parties involved in the organization (USAFH) and PAHF have developed a COVID-19 protocol document.

As part of competing at the Pan Am Cup all the parties; host, participating national associations, and appointed officials are required to sign an IPAC COVID Protocol Acknowledgement Form, indicating acceptance and commitment to abide by these requirements contained therein. Noncompliance with the IPAC Covid Protocol by one or more parties will be understood as creating a risk to all other parties. Such a breach is subject to disciplinary sanction. This PAHF/ USA Field Hockey COVID-19 Protocol (further: the protocol) is based on the document “FIH Tournament Protocols during COVID-19 Pandemic”, guidance document produced April 2021 for organizing countries.

Before arrival in the USA every person entering the USA is required: A negative PCR (Quick tests are not acceptable), having been tested a maximum of 72 hours before arriving in the USA.

To the players' relief, they will be able to go directly to their team base as currently no quarantine is required in any USA State.

However, all participating teams and officials are recommended to monitor the CDC website https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/international-travel-during-covid19.html for any changes to the current requirements.

The Trinidad Guardian



India hockey team captain Rani Rampal, six teammates recover from COVID-19

The six other India players are Savita Punia, Sharmila Devi, Rajani, Navjot Kaur, Navneet Kaur and Sushila while the two support staff are video analyst Amrutaprakash and scientific advisor Wayne Lombard.


File image of India skipper Rani Rampal. Image: Hockey India

New Delhi: Indian women's hockey captain Rani Rampal, her six team-mates and two support staff members have recovered from COVID-19 infection after spending two weeks in quarantine at the Sports Authority of India's (SAI) Centre in Bengaluru.

The six other India players are Savita Punia, Sharmila Devi, Rajani, Navjot Kaur, Navneet Kaur and Sushila while the two support staff are video analyst Amrutaprakash and scientific advisor Wayne Lombard.

All seven tested positive following the Indian women's hockey core group's return to the national camp in Bengaluru on 24 April after a 10-day break. All of them were asymptomatic.

"Thank you everyone for the love and mental support through messages/calls during the last two weeks. Me and my teammates and support staff are fully recovered from the COVID now," Rani said in a statement on her Twitter handle.

"Feeling blessed to have u all as members from our hockey fraternity/friends/fans. Special thanks to Hockey India SAi for taking our good care."

Rani urged the countrymen to take precautions and extend all possible help to the needy in these difficult times.

"Extremely sad to know about that so many people are losing their loved ones, my prayers for them. Please help as much as u can in any way for your near and dear ones.

"Let's fight this pandemic together. Stay safe, wear mask and follow all Covid19 guidelines strictly," she said.

Firstpost



Moscow Olympic gold medallist and former hockey coach M.K. Kaushik succumbs to COVID-19

He was awarded the Arjuna Award in 1998, before being bestowed with the Dronacharya award in 2002.

Uthra Ganesan


M.K. Kaushik.   | Photo Credit: THE HINDU ARCHIVES

Olympic gold medallist, former India coach, Arjuna, and Dronacharya awardee Maharaj Kishen Kaushik passed away at a city hospital on Saturday. He was 66 and is survived by his wife and two sons.

Kaushik had been hospitalised two weeks ago after scans revealed his lungs had been affected with pneumonia despite testing negative for COVID-19 after developing symptoms. His Oxygen saturation levels kept fluctuating, falling as low as 50 at nights after meals although he remained stable through the day.

His lungs, however, did not get better and doctors had tried life-saving drugs as well but things did not improve. He was shifted on to a ventilator earlier in the day but that did not help, his family said. His wife had also tested positive but had recovered and returned home a few days back.

A member of the 1980 gold-winning Olympic side, Kaushik was one of the rare hockey personalities who shone both as a player and coach.

Successful coach

He excelled as coach with both the men’s and women’s teams, guiding them to podium at major continental events including the Asian Games and the Asia Cup. A right-winger, Kaushik was known for his speed and thrust as a player.

Having retired as Deputy Director of Sports with Haryana, Kaushik was also in charge of the Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy and later at the National Hockey Academy in New Delhi as part of Khelo India before retiring late last month.

The Hindu



Olympic hockey champion MK Kaushik dies of COVID-19

A member of the Indian team that won the gold medal at Moscow 1980, MK Kaushik was in hospital in New Delhi since April 24.

By Naveen Peter


Maharaj Krishon KAUSHIK

Former Indian hockey player and a member of the champion team from the 1980 Olympics in Moscow, MK Kaushik succumbed to COVID-19 in New Delhi on Saturday.

Earlier on Saturday, Ravinder Pal Singh -- also a member of the India team that competed at Moscow 1980 -- lost his battle to COVID-19 in Lucknow.

The 66-year-old Kaushik is survived by his wife, who is under treatment for the novel coronavirus at a hospital in the national capital, and son Ehsan.

Kaushik was hospitalised on April 24 after a CT scan on his chest detected signs of pneumonia. The former chief coach of the Indian women’s hockey team had developed symptoms on April 17 but earlier tests returned negative.

Kaushik’s health had improved a few days back, but the former Indian Olympic champion’s condition deteriorated soon after.

MK Kaushik was a key player of the Indian hockey team that won the gold medal at the Moscow 1980 Olympics.

The Haryana player scored three goals at the Games, including one in the final where India beat Spain for their eighth Olympic title.

Led by Vasudevan Baskaran, India were unbeaten in the competition -- winning three and drawing two of their five matches in the preliminary stages -- and finished second behind Spain to make the final.

India won the final 4-3 helped by a brace from Surinder Singh Sodhi and a goal each from Kaushik and Mohamed Shahid. Juan Amat scored a hat-trick for the Spaniards.

MK Kaushik was conferred the Arjuna Award in 1998 while his contributions as a coach were recognised with the Dronacharya Award in 2002.

Olympic Channel



M R NEGI: “Kaushik had unique qualities”

By NANDAKUMAR MARAR


Display Pic Caption: Accorded warm welcome after Kaushik returning from Moscow with Olympic gold. Photos: K. Arumugam collection

MUMBAI: Mir Ranjan Negi and M K Kaushik, goalkeeper and forward, part of Team India men’s squad at 1982 Mumbai World Cup and later post-retirement sharing responsibilities as part of Team India coaching staff at the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games, were poles apart in personality and obsessed with the task at hand. The two teamed up as assistant coach and chief coach respectively at Bangkok.


MK Kaushik

The latter, a gold medallist from the Moscow Olympic Games squad 1980, was firmly in charge as India stormed to the men’s hockey gold at the Asian Games. Captained by a mercurial Dhanraj Pillay, the beat South Korea via penalty-strokes in the title clash, cheered by a packed stadium in Bangkok.

Negi recalls: “Kaushik used to go into a trance at times as coach and never used to speak about any other news, except hockey. I used to be the balancing factor, trying to defuse tense situations to keep the flow going and also act like a sounding board for his ideas. If he scolded players, I tried to bring them around. Our hot and cold treatment worked,” he says, in a chat from Indore.

A master in player-handling, the winger-turned-coach carried the team along with him. The ex-India goalkeeper recalls: “Kaushik had this unique quality to involved the senior players in planning and discipline, which helped to a large extent. There was no junior or senior in the squad, all players were equal for the team management and “no ridicule” policy was the norm.”

Ashish Ballal in goalkeeper saved two penalty-strokes in his usual intimidating style, Mukesh Kumar converted his penalty stroke, India’s fourth, sealing an emotional victory. Negi recalls an off-the-field incident about Mukesh to explain how Indian coaches go beyond the call f duty to get the best out of the squad. “Mukesh, whose stroke clinched us the gold, saw performance nose-dived early in the tournament. We were perplexed,” recalled Negi.

The reason was unique. Mukesh fell in love with Nidhi Khullar, member on the India women’s team by then, so focussing on hockey was tough.“When asked to explain the dip in form, Mukesh revealed the emotional turmoil. Kaushik and me called Nidhi’s parents in India and sought their opinion. The parents left it to their daughter to decide. We conveyed their feedback to Mukesh and asked him to go out and win the title for India, then get married.”


M R Negi

Mukesh and Nidhi are life partners, the bonding in Bangkok going to the natural conclusion as the chief coach and assistant played match-makers. “A foreign coach may not get involved with such an issue. Kaushik and me knew Mukesh Kumar value to the team and so went out of the way to bring his focus back to hockey,” said Negi, who recalled the rapport between him and Kaushik as players from Mumbai in national camps, sustaining when in charge of Team India

Negi struggles to come to terms with Kaushik passing away. “It is a personal loss. We spent a long time together in Mumbai on the hockey field, together with M Somaya, Joaquim Carvalho, Mervyn Fernandes, Marcellus Gomes. Our bonding was out of the world. The support from
Kaushik to me after the 1982 Asian Games hockey debacle helped me immensely (Pakistan thrashed India in the final 7-1 before a live audience nationwide).”

Life changed forever for the India goalkeeper from then on, the next taste of victory was when Team India climbed the podium at Bangkok Asian Games in 1998 to receive the gold medals, watched by proud coaches. Negi represented Mumbai Customs in goal at the Mumbai league, Kaushik turned out for Tatas SC on the wing. Two distinct persons, performing at extreme ends of the pitch during competitive years, then bonding at Bangkok as part of the national coaching staff, have many moments to cherish.

Stick2Hockey.com



Mervyn, Somaya and the Indian sports world remember Kaushik

S2H Team



Mumbai-based former players Mervyn Fernandis and MM Somaya expressed grief over 1980 Moscow Olympic teammates MK Kaushik and Ravinderpal Singh, both of whom passed away on Saturday (May 8) from Covid-19.

Kaushik breathed his last in Delhi in the evening after Ravinderpal bid adieu in the morning at Lucknow and both players drew fond memories from the Mumbai duo.

Mervyn could relate to the agony both players experienced. After all, he had gone through the trauma of covid-19, even being hospitalized with chest congestion in April.

“It was frightening,” Mervyn revealed. “I couldn’t speak, coughed frequently, experienced body ache and fever…”

“After getting the news I shared memories about Kaushik with my wife,” Mervyn said. “I first got a chance to play with him at the 1976 Cuttack National Championship.

“He got to like me, took care of me in the team. I grew close to him and he being a right-winger and me a right-in enabled me to learn a lot from him.”

The young Mervyn continued imbibing lessons from Kaushik and at the 1979 Esanda International tournament in Perth he recalls sharing a room with him.

“When it came to the Moscow Olympics, I was joined by Somaya, my Mumbai teammate, and the three of us were roommates right from the preparatory camp,” Mervyn reminisced.

“It was a pleasure playing with Kaushik. He never ceased teaching us a lot and what was most striking was his discipline.

“It was this discipline that he carried on to coaching which helped India win the Asian Games gold medal after 32 years at Bangkok 1998,” Mervyn said of Kaushik who came to Mumbai from Delhi.

“As a person, Kaushik was a lovely fellow and my mind is in a whirl with all the memories coming through that involved my interaction with him.

“As for Ravinderpal, the first image that comes to mind is his nod and smile. He was down-to-earth and never reacted to any scolding on the pitch in the heat of battle,” Mervyn recollects.

“I captained the Indian team at the 1979 Versailles Jr World Cup and I remember Ravinderpal’s boundless energy as he ran up and down the pitch from one ‘D’ to the other.

For Somaya, it was a birthday marred by sad news as the right-half of the triumphant Moscow Olympic team looked back on his combine with Kaushik.

“I first watched him play for Tata’s in the 1975 Aga Khan Cup final which Northern Railway won in the tie-breaker. He was phenomenal and his combination with Jani Mohidin at right-half was pleasing to watch.

“Kaushik was swift and skilful and had guile aplenty to out-manoeuvre the opponent left-half. He would move inward and I would overlap the defence to lay siege to their citadel – something we practised intensely,” Somaya revealed.

“He joined Chinnai College, Mumbai, in 1978, and I played against him (representing St Xavier’s) in the collegiate semifinal which we lost but I got a close look at his impressive game.

“Then, we played together at the 1979 Hyderabad National Championship for Mumbai where I got to know him. Mervyn, he and I were roommates and he was very protective of us, made us feel comfortable and helped me find my feet.”

Somaya, can never forget the spectacular goal he scored against The Netherlands in the 1982 World Cup at the Wankhede Stadium (albeit in a losing cause).

“He snatched the ball from a defender, dashed into the circle and scored from the narrowest of angles,” he recalled.

Somaya also commended Kaushik, the coach.

“He has contributed significantly to both men’s and women’s hockey as a coach. What made him successful was his ability at spotting the right player for the right position and it helped the selection panel I belonged to as a government nominee at the time immensely.

“And when it came to strategy and tactics, Kaushik kept it simple and avoided going too hi-tech. It brought the best out of the players.”

WHAT THE INDIAN SPORTSWORLD SAID

Dhanraj Pillay (Indian hockey captain)
@dhanrajpillay1
I’m numb with pain & shock with the passing away of MK.Kaushik sir.
He inspired many generations of hockey players,first as a player & then a coach.A fine winger and a finer coach,he will always live in our memories.Bangkok Asian Games Gold medalist Coach

Rani Rampal (Indian Women’s Hockey team captain)
@imranirampal
This is really a heartbreaking moment for me, have lost our former coach Olympian MK Kaushik Sir who coached us during my debut in the national team. He was really a great personality & hardworking. We lost a noble soul due to COVID-19. My heartfelt condolences to his family. RIP
This is really a sad day for our hockey fraternity we lost two great Olympians MK Kaushik sir and Ravinder Pal Singh sir members of 1980 Moscow Olympics gold medalist team. My heartfelt condolences to their families. RIP

Kiren Rijiju (Sports Minister, Govt of India)
@KirenRijiju
Again a sad day for Indian Hockey. We lost MK Kaushik ji, member of the Indian Hockey Team that won gold at 1980 Moscow Olympic. He also coached the 1998 Asian Games men’s team & 2002 Commonwealth Games Women’s team. Both teams won Gold. Salute to Kaushik Ji. Rest in peace Folded hands

Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (Parliamentarian)
@JM_Scindia
Saddened about the passing away of legendary Hockey player & Olympic gold medallist, Shri MK Kaushik ji. Indian Hockey has lost yet another guiding light to Covid-19 today. My heartfelt condolences to his family, loved ones and fans. Om Shanti.

Shivraj Singh Chouhan
@ChouhanShivraj (Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh)
Saddened to learn about the demise of one of the member of 1980 Olympic-Gold Medal winning Indian hockey team Shri MK Kaushik Ji. My thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved family. Huge loss for Indian Hockey.

Viren Rasquinha (Arjuna Awardee, hockey)
@virenrasquinha
Really sad day for Indian hockey and Indian sport. Two legends have passed away in a single day succumbing to covid-19 complications – Ravinder Pal Singh and MK Kaushik. Both were 1980 Moscow Olympics Hockey Gold medallists. Just too shocked Crying face

Stick2Hockey.com



1980 Olympics team members, Ravinder and Kaushik succumb to COVID-19 the same day

Singh succumbs to dreaded disease in Lucknow; Kaushik dies after failing to recover from the ailment in Delhi

India on Saturday lost two of its most revered hockey stars, Ravinder Pal Singh and M K Kaushik -- who were both members of the 1980 Moscow Olympics-winning side -- to COVID-19.

While the 60-year-old Singh succumbed to the dreaded disease in Lucknow on Saturday morning after battling for nearly two weeks, Kaushik died after failing to recover from the ailment here.

Kaushik, who guided the Indian men’s team to 1998 Asiad gold medal in Bangkok, was 66 and is survived by his son and wife.

He had tested positive for COVID-19 on April 17 and was admitted to a nursing home here.

“He was put on ventilator this morning but passed away just now,” a bereaved Ehsan, his son, told PTI.

Kaushik had first developed symptoms last month but RTPCR and RAT tests returned negative. It was only after he went for a CT scan on chest on April 24 that he was detected with COVID pneumonia and was hospitalised.

Since then his condition was between, neither stable nor serious. His oxygen level dropped drastically at night in last few days.

Kaushik’s wife was also getting treatment at the same hospital after contracting the virus but she was recovering well.

Kaushik had coached both the senior men and women’s teams. Under his coaching, India men’s team won two medal at the 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok while the women team won bronze medal at the Doha Asian Games in 2006.

He was awarded the Arjuna Award in 1998, before being bestowed with the Dronacharya award in 2002.

Earlier in the day, Singh died after spending two weeks at the Vivekananda Hospital in Lucknow.

According to family sources, Singh had recovered from the virus and was shifted to non-COVID ward on Thursday after testing negative.

But his condition suddenly deteriorated on Friday and he was put on a ventilator.

Singh, who also played at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, did not get married and is survived by a niece, Pragya Yadav.

Singh also played in the 1979 Junior World Cup and took voluntary retirement from State Bank of India after quitting hockey.

Born in Sitapur on September 6, 1960, Singh excelled as a centre-half from 1979 to 1984.

Besides two Olympics, Singh had also represented India in the Champions Trophy in Karachi (1980, 1983), Silver Jubilee 10-nation Cup in Hong Kong in 1983, 1982 World Cup in Mumbai and 1982 Asia Cup in Karachi, among other tournaments.

Hockey India mourned the untimely demise of Singh.

“Hockey India extends its deepest condolences to Ravinder Pal Singh’s family. Ravinder made an immense contribution to Indian hockey and his achievements will always be remembered. May Ravinder’s family and friends have the strength to pass through this difficult time,” HI president Gyanendro Ningombam said.

Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju also condoled the death of the double Olympian.

“I’m deeply saddened to learn that Shri Ravinder Pal Singh ji has lost the battle to Covid19. With his passing away India loses a golden member of the hockey team that won Gold in the 1980 Moscow Olympics. His contribution to Indian sports will always be remembered,” he tweeted.

India is battling a devastating second wave of COVID-19 pandemic which is causing over 3,000 deaths every day.

The Tribune



Former players pay tributes to Kaushik and Ravinder Pal Singh

Baskaran, Zafar, Mukesh, Muneer laud the departed duo.


V. Baskaran captained the team that won the gold medal at the Moscow Olympics in 1980. File photo  

V. Baskaran, who captained the 1980 Olympics gold medal-winning squad, lamented that the passing away of teammates Ravinder Pal Singh and Kaushik on the same day was “too much to take.”

Baskaran said Kaushik had a fantastic final against Spain. “I vividly remember him scoring a goal and being instrumental in getting the team a penalty stroke, which Surinder Singh Sodhi converted,” he said.

“He was equally successful as a coach and gave a facelift to the Indian women’s team, ” added Baskaran.

Baskaran labelled Ravinder Pal as a ‘complete player’. “His basics were sound. He had speed, endurance and strength. He enjoyed his role as centre-half and moreover he came at a time when there was a big vacuum in that centre-half position,” he said.

“It was a settled team (at Moscow) with me in left-half position, Somayya in right-half and Ravinder in centre-half.”

According to Baskaran, Ravinder’s best performance in the 1980 Games came in the draw against Spain. “He was everywhere, was fearless and played wonderfully well.”

Baskaran said he first met Ravinder in 1979 in Patiala during the pre-Olympic training camp. “He was very only 19 when I met him with Mohammad Shahid. Both were from the Lucknow Sports Hostel. I loved the way Ravinder played,” said the 70-year-old.

Baskaran said Ravinder was a regular feature in the Murugappa All-India invitation hockey tournament, representing the State Bank of India team, during the 1980s and 90s.

Calm and composed

Zafar Iqbal, Ravinder Pal’s teammate and senior at the Olympics, said “he was excellent with his ball-distribution and anticipation. Calm and composed, he was a complete player.”

Triple Olympian N. Mukesh Kumar said the death of Kaushik was a personal loss to him. “I remember every moment of my association with this wonderful coach, especially being a member of the gold medal-winning team at the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games.

“He knew who would deliver the results and ensured that the whole team gelled well.”

Former India goalkeeper and Olympic medallist Muneer Sait expressed his condolences.

Tragic loss

“Kaushik was a speedy right winger with skill and thrust. And he became a successful coach too. His death is a tragic loss,” said Sait.

Speaking about Ravinder Pal, Sait said “A very depressing piece of news. I was hoping and praying that he would pull through. I was one of the selectors who picked him in the Indian team.”

(with inputs from K. Keerthivasan, Uthra Ganesan, V.V. Subrahmanyam, S. Dinakar)

The Hindu



Baskaran pays rich tribute to Ravinderpal

S2H Team

Vasudevan Baskaran, India’s captain at the 1980 Moscow Olympic team, paid tributes to former teammate Ravinderpal Singh who succumbed to Covid-19 in Lucknow on Saturday.

Ravinderpal was centre-half of that gold medal-winning team and Baskaran went down memory lane to underline the youngster’s sparkling performance under his captaincy.

“He was Ajit Pal Singh’s successor at centre-half and was a complete player in that position especially on artificial surfaces,” Baskaran, who manned the left-half position, recalled. “Ravinderpal was affectionate and was liked by the entire team.”

A product of Sports Hostel, Lucknow, Baskaran,70, appreciated the young player in his team’s mastery of the basics and executor of sublime skills that a legion of incumbents from that centre have brought to the game.

“Ravinderpal combined modern skills with the traditional. He was good at the aerial pass and joined the attack frequently bringing a touch of aggression to his crucial role. He excelled at positional play, recovery and never tired – he was quite simply the modern hockey centre-half,” Baskaran added.

Born in 1958, Ravinder’s contemporaries were the great Mohammed Shahid and Syed Ali – also products of Sports Hostel and fitted well into the scheme of things.

“His forays into the attack produced many goals – several scored by Ravinderpal himself and I recall a few beautiful ones against Pakistan.

“You could bracket him with Sardara Singh (India’s celebrated centre-half and captain who retired in 2018),” Baskaran opined. “But, to me, Ravinderpal was more skillful perhaps because hockey was different in those days and it called for the skills Ravinderpal had in great measure.”

“The fact that he played in two Olympics (1980 Moscow and 1984 Los Angeles) and a World Cup (Mumbai 1982) indicates his worth in the Indian team,” Baskaran said.

“An unassuming person, he was shy of the cell phone and rarely responded to calls but when we met up with other former teammates, he was good fun.

“He was given to charity for the cause of the game and often donated hockey sticks to needy players.

“His passing away is a great loss to hockey in general and especially to the game in Uttar Pradesh from where he hailed,” Baskaran lamented.

Stick2Hockey.com

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