Saddest day for Indian hockey: Gagan Ajit Singh

Olympian Gagan Ajit Singh on Monday blamed the Indian Hockey Federation for the country’s failure to qualify for the Olympics.

On India’s 2-0 defeat to Great Britain in the final of the Olympic qualifiers, Gagan said, “it is the saddest day for Indian hockey. The IHF top brass, including its President and Coach, should step down immediately and pave way for fresh people.” He said the team’s failure to qualify for the Olympics after 80 years was not just a “national shame”, but a great disappointment for “world hockey as well”.

“It’s a loss for world hockey as others want India to do well and be there,” he said.

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He said it was beyond his comprehension why players like him, Len Aiyappa, Sandeep Singh and Deepak Thakur, who played well in the Premier Hockey League (PHL), were ignored by the selectors.

“The English team had earlier gone on record saying they fear Sandeep Singh, who would have been an asset if he had played. Other players who were doing really well were not even considered,” he regretted.