In a major embarrassment for the organisers of the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup, Indian team players including captain Manpreet Singh were yelled at by a top Hockey India official after they were seen at the VIP lounge of the Kalinga Stadium during the match between Netherlands and Canada on Tuesday, 11 December.
As per the protocol of the tournament, the players were not entitled to be present at the VIP lounge. But on the request of a few near and dear ones, Manpreet and a few players entered the area and were busy signing autographs and clicking pictures with their fans.
However, the gesture of the players didn’t go down well with Hockey India – and one its top officials stormed into the area, yelling at the players to leave it.
India captain Manpreet downplayed the episode when inquired about it ahead of India’s quarter-final against Netherlands.
“It was our own mistake that we went to the restricted area without our knowledge. It is not that we were taken there forcibly by someone. Anyway, when we realised our mistake we just came out.”Manpreet Singh, Indian Hockey Captain
“These are minor episodes which will have no effect on our performance against Netherlands,” the Indian skipper added ahead of his team’s all-important quarter-final on Thursday, 13 December, where India will hope to reach a first World Cup semi-final since 1975.
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