Hockey India raises concern over umpiring at the 2024 Paris Olympics

Hockey India has officially raised concerns about the quality of umpiring and decision-making in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games on Sunday.

The complaint was raised against the issues India faced during the critical quarter-final game against Great Britain. Multiple inconsistencies could have potentially influenced the outcome of the game.

The main issues raised by Hockey were about inconsistent video umpires, the red card to Indian defender Amit Rohidas, and the coaching of the goalkeeper during the penalty shootout.

Indian men's hockey team played with just 10 players for about 45 minutes because Amit Rohidas was shown a red card in the second quarter for a deliberate hit on the opponent player's face.

Hockey India said that the decision eroded trust in the video umpiring team.

Apart from the red card, British goalkeeper Ollie Payne was coached during the penalty shootout from outside and the goalkeeper also used the video tablet during the shoot-out.

In an official statement, Hockey India said, "These incidents have undermined confidence in the officiating process among players, coaches, and fans. Hockey India calls for a thorough review of these matters to uphold the integrity of the sport and ensure fair play in future matches."

While India won the shoot-out 4-2 owing to the heroics of PR Sreejesh and reached the semis, it could have been the end of the road for the Indian team had Great Britain scored using the numbers advantage.

This win meant that India has reached two consecutive semi-finals at the Olympics after 52 years and will be facing either of Argentina and Germany in the semi-final.