Picture from India vs Great Britain men's hockey quarter-final match at Paris Olympics.© AFP
In a statement released on Sunday, Hockey India has expressed serious concerns over the quality of umpiring and decision-making in the ongoing Paris 2024 Olympic Games men's hockey tournament. The focal point of their complaint is a contentious match between India and Great Britain, where several officiating inconsistencies potentially influenced the game's outcome were observed. Primarily, Hockey India have taken umbrage to the inconsistent use of video reviews, coaching by Great Britain support staff during the shoot-out and the use of a video tabled by the GBR goalkeeper.
Inconsistent Video Umpire Reviews
Hockey India highlighted the inconsistent application of video umpire reviews, particularly pointing to the red card decision against an Indian player (Amit Rohidas). This inconsistency has eroded trust in the video review system among players, coaches, and fans.
Rohidas was shown a red card after the video umpire made a subjective decision that the stick was a deliberate attempt to hurt a player by raising the stick. Many observers felt that Rohidas's action was part of his biomechanical movement and not deliberate.
Coaching During Shoot-Out
Another point of contention was the coaching of the Great Britain goalkeeper from behind the goalpost during the shoot-out. Such actions are seen as a breach of fair play and have raised questions about the integrity of the match, Hockey India said in its statement.
Use of a Video Tablet by Goalkeeper
The use of a video tablet by the Great Britain goalkeeper during the shoot-out has also come under scrutiny. This unusual practice has raised concerns about adherence to the rules and the fairness of the competition.
Hockey India has called for a thorough review of these incidents to uphold the integrity of the sport and ensure fair play in future matches. They emphasised that such inconsistencies undermine the confidence of players, coaches, and fans in the officiating process, which is crucial for the sport's credibility.
Earlier, the Indian team produced a superb defensive performance and secured a win to remember for ages as they defeated Great Britain 1-1 (4-2 SO) in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Paris Olympics, despite being one player short for most of the match.
For India, captain Harmanpreet Singh (22') netted a goal, while Lee Morton (27') was on the scoresheet for Great Britain as the match ended with the score tied at 1-1 in the regular time, thus forcing the game into the shootout, where India converted all their chances and denied their opponents twice to win the match 1-1 (4-2 SO) and make it to the semifinals.
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