Hockey India parted methods with its ladies’s group chief coach Harendra Singh on Monday following complaints from gamers to the Union Sports activities Ministry about his “behaviour” and a string of poor outcomes.
In a press release, Hockey India mentioned Harendra, who had taken cost of the group in April final yr, has “resigned” citing “private causes”. Nonetheless, The Indian Categorical has learnt that senior gamers within the group, who had been a part of the Paris Olympics Qualifiers and Asian Video games campaigns, complained to the ministry “three or 4 days in the past” about what they alleged was Harendra’s “high-handedness”, and conveyed their unwillingness to play for the nationwide group below him.
Sources mentioned this was the second time that gamers had complained to the ministry about Harendra. In keeping with a senior participant, who requested anonymity, the Goal Olympic Podium division of the ministry was first apprised of their considerations at a nationwide camp “round three or 4 months in the past”.
Following the most recent criticism, the ministry ordered Hockey India to analyze the problem. On Monday, the governing physique’s prime brass, together with president Dilip Tirkey and secretary-general Bhola Nath Singh, reached the Sports activities Authority of India’s Bengaluru centre, the place a nationwide camp is underway, and held particular person conferences with each participant current.
“After chatting with the gamers, Hockey India officers realised that no less than half of the group didn’t need to proceed taking part in below Harendra due to varied causes, starting from how he dealt with the group to the rising variety of accidents and the poor performances. Therefore, it was determined to half methods with him earlier than the state of affairs deteriorated additional,” sources mentioned.
April 2024
Appointed as chief coach after Paris Olympics qualification failure
November 2024
Received Asian Champions Trophy in Rajgir
Early Success
2024-25 Season
FIH Professional League catastrophe: Group relegated after ending final
2 wins in 16 matches
Latest
Misplaced Asia Cup remaining to China; 2026 World Cup qualification in danger
3-4 Months In the past
First criticism filed with Sports activities Ministry’s TOP division at nationwide camp
Final Week
Second criticism to Sports activities Ministry; Hockey India ordered to analyze
Monday
Hockey India officers go to SAI Bengaluru, maintain participant conferences
Monday Night
Harendra Singh exits citing “private causes”
Disaster Indicators Throughout Tenure
10-11
Gamers with accidents
50%+
Group unwilling to proceed
12.5%
Professional League win price
2
Formal complaints filed
Indian Categorical InfoGenIE
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Later Monday, an unsigned and undated letter surfaced that outlined a number of allegations in opposition to the veteran coach and his assist employees, together with “psychological harassment”, placing the gamers below “excessive strain” and speaking “properly solely to the captain and vice-captain”. A senior Hockey India official mentioned they had been “in possession of the letter however weren’t capable of verify its authenticity”.
The senior participant, in the meantime, added that the group surroundings had “gone from dangerous to worse” up to now few months. “Roughly 10-11 gamers are going through harm of 1 or the opposite type they usually had been requested to cover them. A couple of gamers sensed a tradition of favouritism, which created a foul group surroundings. All this had a destructive affect on the group’s efficiency,” the participant mentioned.
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Harendra couldn’t be reached for a remark. Nonetheless, in a press release by way of Hockey India, the veteran coach mentioned: “Teaching the Indian ladies’s hockey group has been a privilege that has been a spotlight of my profession. Although private causes name me to step away, my coronary heart stays with this extraordinary group and their ongoing success.”
Harendra, who has had a number of stints as nationwide coach throughout a profession of over 20 years, was appointed chief coach of the ladies’s group after India did not qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Beneath him, the group gained the Asian Champions Trophy in Rajgir in November final yr. However the performances have been on a downward spiral since. India obtained demoted from the FIH Professional League after ending final within the 2024-25 season — successful simply two out of the 16 matches — and misplaced to China within the remaining of the Asia Cup. The group is now staring on the prospect of lacking out on the 2026 FIH World Cup.
Sources mentioned Hockey India has recognized Dutchman Sjoerd Marijne, who had guided the ladies’s group to a historic fourth-place end on the Tokyo Olympics, as a possible successor. Australian nice Ric Charlesworth can also be on the radar.