In bizarre circumstances just a year away from the Rio Olympics, men’s team coach Paul van Ass claims that he has been ‘fired’.

He was appointed in January this year. Van Ass took over the reigns as the national coach after the controversial ouster of Australian Terry Walsh just after guiding India to gold medal at the Incheon Asian Games last year.

Van Ass’s future with the Indian team was in serious doubt after he failed to report on time for the national team’s camp that began at the scenic Sports Authority of India (SAI) centre in Shilaroo, Himachal Pradesh on Sunday.

The theory that the Dutchman won’t be continuing as the coach gathered further steam when he failed to submit his report on India’s performance at the recently concluded Hockey World League Semi-Finals in Antwerp, Belgium.

It is widely reported that Paul van Ass had a public spat with Hockey India president Narinder Batra after the quarter-final match against Malaysia at the World League semifinals, Antwerp, Belgium.

The unconfirmed reports said that after the match Batra entered the field of play and had a word with the players. Van Ass however intervened and asked him to leave the field, which did not go down well with the HI president.

Van Ass’s predecessor Walsh had quit last November after Sports Authority of India failed to meet his financial and other demands.

Jose Brasa, Michael Nobbs had also left the country on an unceremonious note.

In his two assignments, India won bronze at Sultan Azlan Shah Cup and finished fourth at Hockey World League Semifinals in Antwerp.