India Captain Downplays ‘Yelling Episode’ After Hockey India Issues Clarification

Bhubaneswar: A day after Hockey India (HI) CEO Elena Norman was accused of ‘misbehaving’ some Indian players, the parent body of hockey in India on Wednesday clarified that those who brought the players into the VIP lounge were yelled at.

India captain Manpreet Singh, Mandeep Singh, Gurjant Singh and Krishan Pathak were spotted, signing autographs and taking selfies, at the VIP lounge of Kalinga Stadium here during the crossover match of the ongoing Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup between Netherlands and Canada on Tuesday.

According to media reports, Norman rebuked them and asked them to “get out” of there.

The HI said that the players’ presence there could result in a serious breach of the code of conduct and even lead to their suspension.

According to tournament guidelines, players are not supposed to be in the VIP lounge.

In fact, the players are aware of the protocol and have been warned twice about this by the FIH and the coaches, it added

When asked about the incident during a press meet in the afternoon, the India captain too tried to douse the raging controversy ahead of the crucial quarterfinal clash with the Netherlands on Thursday. “It was our mistake. Players are not allowed to enter the lounge. I think it has been blown out of proportion,” he said.

Manpreet also urged people not to post anything on social media without verify facts.