Saffron jersey row: Bhola Nath disputes Tirkey’s claim of being kept in the dark

Hockey India general secretary Bhola Nath Singh disputed federation president Dilip Tirkey’s claim that he was unaware of India’s switch from the traditional blue jersey to saffron ahead of the World Cup, insisting that both officials were aware of the decision.

The jersey change caused controversy before the tournament Tirkey claims that the decision was made without knowledge or the approval of the Executive Board of Hockey India. However, Bhola Nath said that the change was made after the players and the team management were given several suggestions and they expressed a preference for saffron.

CLAIM OF BHOLA NATH

Speaking to PTI, Bhola Nath also questioned the timing of the controversy, saying it risks distracting the players ahead of the two main tasks, the World Cup and the Asian Games.

“For us, the game is important, hockey is important. The biggest thing is that before the World Cup, before the Asian Games, whether it’s me or anyone else, it’s a very open world. For those who love hockey, it’s our job not to disturb the players by pointing out all these problems. That could have been solved later,” he said.

Bhola Nath claimed that the players and team management were shown four to five jersey designs before deciding on orange. He also directly contradicted Tirkey’s version of events.

“About the jersey color change, what Dilip Tirkey knew, I also knew. And the next day he said he didn’t know,” said Bhola Nath.

PLAYERS caught in a row

The General Secretary added that he urged the players to stay away from the controversy and focus on their performances, given the importance of the tournaments ahead.

He said the team was exposed to debate through social media, making it difficult to shield them from the noise surrounding the decision.

“All the players have mobile phones, Facebook, Instagram, they are all on social media and they follow everything on social media. Such things should not have happened. Whoever did it, it was not good,” he said.

THE SAFFRON SET CONTINUES

The jersey issue resurfaced ahead of the Asian Games when Tirkey hinted that India would revert to blue as their primary kit, with white as their second choice. However, The team continued to wear saffron as their primary color for the continental event and also donned the same kit for the ongoing Asian Champions Trophy in Punjab.

Bhola Nath argued that the controversy had little effect on the teams’ performances, pointing to India’s success at the Asian Games. Both the men’s and women’s teams won gold medals and secured qualification for the Los Angeles Olympics.

Indian hockey teams have traditionally worn blue for much of their international history, dating back to the country’s Olympic debut in 1928. The switch to saffron ahead of the World Cup therefore marked a departure from the long-standing identity, making the decision a topic of discussion far beyond the federation’s borders.

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