You score a goal and retire to changing room to avail half time. You come back for second half and see your goals has been disallowed. The mockery of hockey took place in front of the Sunday crowd here at the world cup during the India-England match.

Subhadra Pradhan´s free hit pass, trapped by Surinder, was converted by medio Asunta Lakra hardly 15, 20 seconds before the half time. The umpire from Holland Caroline blew the whistle, the score flashed on the scoreboard.

Midway thorugh the half time, the board score was reverted to 0-0 and the whole stadium, Indian team and everyone was thrown into a cesspool of confusion and wonderment. No announcements, no official explanations forthcame. All that the Indian team was told was that the umpires have changed the decision. Great hockey, great umpires and what an autonamy they enjoy under the FIH charter. Even world´s worst dictator should feel proud of these persons.

It can only happen in hockey managed by a few thorough unprofessionals. It is good hockey is an unpopular sport — at least here – because of which the umpires committed such a faux pas and got away with it. In any other sport, they would have had to face the public wrath, if not their world body´s.

When and where the umpires have taken a decision to revert her decision of awarding the goal? In closed doors or on the turf? Certainly not on turf. We were present and watching the match. Had the decision been taken on turf, the players should have been told so, time out called and the remaining seconds should have been played. These things did not happen at all.

Two minutes before the hooter, a German goal was awarded and then video umpiring was called after which the goal was disallowed. That both the Dutch umpire´s goal disallowed proved how competent that she is! It is learnt it is her major tournament and how these ladies get into top notch tournament is a matter of conjecture.

Indian coach M.K. Kaushik was angry and did not mince the words and his views can be easily read at his column in the Hindustan Times.