Hockey
Indian women's hockey team coach Janneke Schopman resigns
Janneke Schopman, Indian women's hockey team head coach, resigned from her post on Friday after the team failed to qualify Olympics.
Indian women's hockey team Janneke Schopman resigned from her post, confirmed Hockey India on Friday in a press release.
The Dutch national submitted her resignation to Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey after the end of the Indian team outing at the home leg of the FIH Hockey Pro League in Odisha.
She had taken over the reins from former Chief Coach Sjoerd Marine under whose tutelage India finished in a historic fourth position at the Tokyo Olympics.
Schopman's resignation was expected as the Indian team failed to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics twice, first at the Asian Games and then at FIH Olympic qualifiers in front of the home crowd in Ranchi.
Her resignation has paved the way for Hockey India to look for a suitable Chief Coach for the Women’s Hockey Team who could prepare the Indian Team for the next Women’s World Cup in 2026 and the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
Under Schopman, the Indian team had a record of 38 wins in 74 matches. They also drew 17 and lost 19 matches. The gold medal in the Asian Champions Trophy was a high point but the failure to make the Olympics was probably the final nail in the coffin.