Champions Trophy: Whining hockey officials deflect from India's brilliant display

Indian sports officials did it again. Puffed with self-importance, they took the sheen off one of India’s finest displays of field hockey in recent years after we lost the penalty shoot out by missing three out of four shots and then whining about the third umpire’s decision on the retake of the second Aussie try. We outplayed the Aussies for a whole hour. We were unlucky not to score but we looked like the champions we will become and it was a matter of great pride seeing we had lost to them yesterday 4 goals to 2. [caption id=“attachment_2841730” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] The Indian team walk round the pitch after lodging a protest concerning the penalty shoot out. AP[/caption] By becoming cry babies after the event, we deflect from the way our boys played. Complaining gets you nowhere. Even if that second flick had been awarded, we had lost the shoot out. So what exactly is the point of creating this froth of indignation? Forty minutes have gone past and the prize-giving has been delayed and everyone is just sort of hanging around and it is not as though India are going to be awarded the cup so let’s not do this sort of thing. The commentators are now making jokes and being a bit mocking and you cannot blame them. The game is over and done with. Take the silver and let it go. Uh oh, now they have decided to call off the prize-giving and everyone is going home. Talk about bizarre. The FIH has taken the foolishness a step further. There is no Cup being given. They cannot decide on the complaint. What? So the Champion Trophy ends without a presentation. This is unbelievable. Let’s be honest. Since we had not expected to play so well the penalty shootout option was not on the cards so chances are we never factored it in or practised it. Australia practices it diligently because they accept that sort of a scenario. We went in like losers and came out tops but then the fable unravelled and we looked petty and pathetic. Our hockey team made us so proud today despite there being practically zero interest back home. I cannot imagine too many people are up at 2 am watching India play its first ever Champion’s Trophy finals. We won a bronze in 1982 and we got our first silver today and it was gilded with gold…the Aussies know they were well and truly outplayed. So let’s go to Rio and show them what we are made of and let’s give them a rousing welcome home for a brilliant and heart-warming game. India ran non-stop for sixty minutes making rings around the world champions who were unbeaten. Why do we do this? Who gives our officials the permission to make a scene in public and whinge and whine and make these complaints? Time to tell the players they did not lose, the Aussies won fair and square even though you guys were better. It has been so long so very, very long since Indian hockey glittered the way it did today in London. More’s the pity that our support is so niggardly, our fans so few, the financial support such a pittance…what a memorable game and what a foolish and self indulgent conclusion. Good for you Indian hockey and sit down you officials, it’s over…or as the case is, stay home. Imagine it all ending in such a shabby manner.