S2H Team

Tears of joy today, but despair in 1972 despite winning an Olympic medal. This aptly sums of the present and past – when India won a bronze at Tokyo and then 49 years ago at Munich the same medal. Wild celebrations mark today, even calling it revival of hockey, but winning the  Munich Olympic bronze was not lucky.

Today marks the 49th anniversary of Munich Olympic bronze. On this day at Munich, India led by Harmik Singh, won the bronze.

OLY Bronze medallist HARCHARAN SINGH

Harcharan Singh, famed left-winger of the Indian team, flashed back to the 1972 Munich Olympics where the country won its second hockey bronze medal.

“We were treated like villains,” he said with a satirical laugh.

“After Mexico 1968 where we were reduced to winning the bronze medal for the first time ever after seven gold and a silver at the Games at the time, we repeated the performance at Munich,” he said.

“It was considered shameful even by the team itself. We could not live up to the expectation of the people who demanded nothing less than the gold medal.”

“We won a gold medal at Moscow 1980 (in a boycott affected field) but there’s been a 41-year medal drought after that so the bronze at Tokyo 2020 has been like oxygen for Indian hockey,” Harcharan said.

“There were tears in Munich as there are now,” he added. “The difference is that today the tears are of joy. At Munich they were of despair!”

Harcharan acknowledged the performance of Manpreet Singh and Co.

“Credit to the boys for showing great character and guts especially after the 1-7 defeat to Australia to stage a comeback. “In the bronze medal match itself the team proved itself while coming back from 1-3 down against Germany to win the match 5-4.

“Now, of course, the team must take up the challenge to change the colour of the medal and they must keep heads on shoulders and use this platform for better efforts in the future.”

M Ganesh’s recently published autobiography dwells in details about the Munich Olympics

MP Ganesh, former captain and a member of the Munich team, also remembered the return from the Olympics 49 years ago.

“We were looked down upon,” said the former effervescent right-winger. “India was on top in those days and the public wanted gold. Our bronze medal didn’t bring much joy.

“The Tokyo 2020 medal has come after decades and it’s understandable that this victory is far more appreciated than the one in Munich,” Ganesh added.

“Fans were starved of success at the global level and because of this podium finish, hockey has come back into the limelight.”