New Delhi, 10 November 2019: The Hockey India Disciplinary Committee Meeting chaired by Bhola Nath Singh, who is also the Vice President of Hockey India, on Tuesday unanimously decided to suspend players from Punjab Armed Police for a period of 12-18 months while players from Punjab National Bank have been suspended for 6-12 months respectively following the recent violence that broke out during the Final of 56th Nehru Senior Hockey Tournament (Men) between Punjab Armed Police and Punjab National Bank, clearly violating the Hockey India/ Hockey India League Code of Conduct.

The two-day Hockey India Disciplinary Committee Meeting was chaired by Bhola Nath Singh and attended by Members of the Committee Harbinder Singh and Elena Norman, who is also the CEO of Hockey India, included invitees Mohd Mushtaque Ahmad, President Hockey India, and Rajinder Singh, Secretary General Hockey India.

The Committee placed Punjab Armed Police players Hardeep Singh and Jaskaran Singh under an 18 months suspension while Dupinderdeep Singh, Jagmeet Singh, Sukhpreet Singh, Sarvanjit Singh and Balwinder Singh have been suspended for 12 months with effect from 11 December 2019 for their involvement in the Level 3 offence under Hockey India/ Hockey India League Code of Conduct. Punjab Armed Police Team Manager Amit Sandhu was suspended for 18 months for a Level 3 offence and it was also recommended that the Punjab Police Team be placed under three months suspension and not be eligible to play in any of the All India Tournaments with effect from 10 March 2020 to 9 June 2020 (following the expiry of their suspension due to participation in an unsanctioned tournament).

Players from Punjab National Bank Sukhjeet Singh, Gursimran Singh and Sumit Toppo have been suspended for 12 months while the team skipper Jasbir Singh has been suspended for six months as the Captain is also responsible for the team’s conduct while the Punjab National Bank Team Manager Sushil Kumar Dubey too has been suspended for six months due to his team’s inability to follow the Hockey India/ Hockey India League Code of Conduct and sanctions. It was also recommended that the Punjab National Bank Team be placed under three months suspension and not be eligible to play in any of the All India Tournaments with effect from 11 December 2020 to 10 March 2020.

After reviewing the report submitted by the Tournament Director and also having viewed the video evidence in the presence of players involved in the offence, Chairman of the Hockey India Disciplinary Committee Bhola Nath Singh expressed great disappointment over such an incident that reflects poorly on Indian hockey.

Further it was unanimously agreed by the Committee that all the above players would be on further probation for a period of 24 months after the expiry of their sanctions and any breaches of Hockey India / Hockey India League Code of Conduct during this probation period would constitute an immediate Level 3 offence and the individual will automatically be suspended for a period of 24 months.

Players from Hockey Rajnandgaon and Hockey Bilaspur too suspended

On Monday, the Hockey India Disciplinary Committee unanimously decided to suspend players from Hockey Rajnandgaon and Hockey Bilaspur following the on-ground violence that resulted in breach of Hockey India/ Hockey India League Code of Conduct during the recently held 4th Chhattisgarh Senior Men State Championship 2019-2020.

The first day of the meeting on 9 December 2019 attended by Hockey India Disciplinary Committee Chairman Bhola Nath Singh and Members Elena Norman, Harbinder Singh and included invitee Mohd Mushtaque Ahmad, President Hockey India.

Hockey Rajnandgaon Captain Mithlesh Pandiya is placed under three months suspension while Sandeep Yadav, Taufik Ahmad, Sukhdev Niramalkar have been suspended for nine months. Rajesh Nirmalkar (who also officiated as umpire) was let-off with a warning for playing and officiating in the same tournament while Sabbir Solanki, Team Manager of Hockey Rajnandgaon was placed under 3 months suspension for a Level 2 offence with effect from 10 December 2019.

Bilaspur Hockey Captain Omkar Yadav and Team Manager Ikhlak Ali have been suspended for three months for committing Level 2 offence while Louis Tirkey has been suspended for six months as he committed a Level 3 offence under the Hockey India/ Hockey India League Code of Conduct.

The Tournament Director Kishore Dihwar too was punished with a three months suspension for failing to perform his duties, Umpire Shakeel Ahmad was awarded 12 months suspension.

Further it was unanimously agreed that all the above involved players, officials and state member unit would be on probation for a period of 12 months after the expiry of their sanctions and any breaches of the Hockey India / Hockey India League Code of Conduct during this probation period would constitute an immediate Level 3 offence and the individual will automatically be suspended for a period of 12 months.