India vs Great Britain hockey: After the Indian hockey team defeated the Great Britain team in a nail-biting penalty shootout to enter the semi-finals at the Paris Olympics, Hockey India said they have officially raised concerns about the quality of umpiring and decision-making in the ongoing Paris Olympics. India had played with one man short for nearly 40 minutes after Amit Rohidas picked up a red card for a stick on a Great Britain player’s face in the second quarter.
It has been learnt that the hearing on Amit Rohidas will be later tonight. The India players is likely to serve a one-match ban, which will see him sit out the semi-final. But the Paris Olympics Tournament Director will take final call after reviewing the incident.
Meanwhile, the immediate aftermath of the India vs Great Britain match saw massive controversy. One of the more serious concerns raised by the Indian hockey federation from the India vs Great Britain hockey match was that the Great Britain goalkeeper was getting coaching from behind the goalpost during the shoot-out and was using a video tablet during the India vs Great Britain shoot-out.
Hockey India said they were irked by the way the crucial India vs Great Britain game was handled.
In the India vs Great Britain game, the Indian hockey team played over 40 minutes with one man less on the pitch after Amit Rohidas was red carded for a stick in Great Britain player William Calnan’s face.
Almost immediately after losing the ace first rusher to the red card, India took a 1-0 lead in the game, thanks to captain Harmanpreet Singh, who scored from the penalty corner. This was his seventh goal at Paris 2024.
But Great Britain scored with half-time in sight to level at 1-1. The score stayed 1-1 till the end of the 60 minutes. In the shootout, PR Sreejesh, who already had played one of the best games of his life, managed to force two misses from the Great Britain side to drag India over the line.
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What has Indian hockey federation complained about?
In a letter to media, Hockey India said that it had “officially raised concerns about the quality of umpiring and decision-making in the ongoing Paris Olympic Games 2024”
Hockey’s India’s statement said: “The complaint focuses on a critical match between India and Great Britain, where several inconsistencies in officiating potentially influenced the game’s outcome. The key issues highlighted include: inconsistent video umpire reviews, particularly regarding the red card decision for an Indian player, which has eroded trust in the video review system; the coaching of a goalkeeper from behind the goalpost during the shoot-out, and the use of a video tablet by a goalkeeper during the shoot-out.”
“These incidents have undermined confidence in the officiating process among players, coaches, and fans. Hockey India calls for a thorough review of these matters to uphold the integrity of the sport and ensure fair play in future matches,” the Hockey India statement said.
