Hockey India chief phrases Belgium’s feedback on Indians sweeping FIH awards as racial discrimination

Hockey India (HI) has asserted that Belgium’s public expression of displeasure on Indians sweeping the FIH annual awards is nothing in need of “racial discrimination” and the world physique ought to provoke an intensive investigation into the matter.
In a strongly-worded letter to International Hockey Federation (FIH) CEO Thierry Weil, HI President Gyanendro Ningombam mentioned that Belgium and its gamers questioning the voting system was disrespectful in direction of the Indian winners and demeaning their achievements.
“The public statements of displeasure at the announcement of the Indian winners is highly disrespectful and not in the spirit of sportsmanship and the sport of hockey,” Ningombam wrote within the letter.
“The objections on behalf of Belgium Federation for 2021 winners needs to be carefully examined by the FIH Governance Panel for what is considered by myself as a case of discrimination/racial discrimination.”
Ningombam mentioned the lndian gamers and coaches have legitimately received the polls most often throughout all classes however the achievement has been completely undermined by unfavourable feedback by fellow athletes and nationwide associations.
“… how humiliating, mentally traumatic and insulting it is to the Indian athletes and coaches. Hockey India cannot stand by and allow the efforts and achievements of Indian athletes and coaches to be questioned in this manner…,” he mentioned.
“ls it fair that the hard work and efforts of these athletes are being scrutinised and they are being put through such harassment and mental intimidation?” he requested.
India swept the FIH annual awards on October 6, claiming all the highest honours based mostly on a voting system which was lambasted as a “failure” by males’s Olympic champions Belgium, prompting the FIH to say that it might attempt to determine why some associations didn’t forged their poll.
Five Indian gamers and the top coaches of each the lads’s and girls’s groups in Tokyo claimed the highest honours throughout totally different classes after fetching the utmost votes. The males’s hockey staff had received a bronze, its first in 41 years, within the Tokyo Olympics, whereas the ladies’s facet had completed an unprecedented fourth within the showpiece.
The HI president requested Weil to request the Belgium federation to difficulty an official public apology for the “demeaning” feedback on the achievements of the lndian gamers and coaches on social media.
“If not, refer this matter to the FIH Governance Panel for thorough investigation into what is discrimination/racial discrimination against the lndian athletes and coaches.”
After Belgium questioned the voting system, the FIH had identified that the Indian award winners topped every of the voting teams that additionally concerned the nationwide associations and media.
It had additionally mentioned that solely 19 associations from the 42-strong European bloc forged their votes, in comparison with 29 out of 33 in Asia.
Votes from National Associations — represented by their respective captains and coaches — accounted for 50 per cent of the general end result, whereas followers and gamers (25 per cent) in addition to media (25 per cent) made the opposite half of the votes.
“Hockey lndia made nice efforts to make sure good participation throughout all classes from our nation and now really feel publicly penalised for the complete hearted participation and assist of the lndian nominees.
“It is disappointing that the Belgium Federation would like to query the voting system and the legitimacy of the lndian winners then really take accountability for not encouraging extra voting and supporting their athletes within the first place.
“The core of the matter is that these national associations need to first introspect to see their actual level of participation and interest right from the start instead of now questioning the system once results are announced not in their favour.”
He additionally identified that Belgium federation had secured winners after the 2016 Rio Olympics though they completed second and gold medal successful Argentine staff didn’t get a single award.
“All awards in men (after 2016 Olympics) went to Belgium, then there was no questioning of the voting system,” he mentioned.
Ningombam additionally mentioned “it’s shameful that European Hockey Federation is sitting quiet and not taking responsibility for the lack of activation and seriousness in voting by their Member Associations while also allowing their athletes and Member Associations undermine the results and showing disrespect to the winners”.
Weil had on Monday mentioned that the FIH would create a activity power to work on its international awards choice course of however asserted that the winners wouldn’t have been totally different even with out followers’ votes.