Why Indian hockey teams wore saffron despite assurance of blue jerseys at Asian Games

The Indian men’s and women’s hockey teams turned up in saffron jerseys for their respective opening games of the Asian Games on Sunday, despite Hockey India’s declaration before the event that they would revert to blue uniforms.

The two Indian teams played as saffron for the first time in the World Cup last month in Belgium and the Netherlands, creating a massive controversy.

The decision sparked internal dissension with HI President Dilip Tirkey stating that the change was made without the knowledge or consent of the federation’s elected leadership and executive council.

Eventually, it snowballed into an all-out war in the Federation Tirkey at odds with HI Secretary Bhola Nath Singhwho is believed to have masterminded the kit’s color change.

But soon after the World Cup and just before the Asian Games, Tirkey declared that India would return to the iconic blue jersey as their primary jersey along with white for the continental extravaganza.

“The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has given us options in terms of team kit colors and Hockey India chose blue as the first choice for the Indian team kit. Orange will be the second choice,” Tirkey said during the flagging off ceremony of the Indian contingent heading to the Asian Games.

But both the men’s and women’s teams turned up in saffron jerseys in their opening matches against Indonesia and Uzbekistan in Kakamilgahara (Japan) at the Asian Games on Sunday.

A Hockey India source, requesting anonymity, said that the secondary kits will not even be all blue, but a combination of white and blue along with saffron attire.

“The two colors of the Indian team’s playing kits for the 2026 Asian Games have always been saffron and a combination of white and sky blue approved by the HI President himself.

“You have to ask the President himself as to why the President then said that India will wear blue in the Asian Games,” a HI source told PTI.

The reason for changing the jersey color was that playing in blue jerseys on blue turf caused visibility problems.

Since their Olympic debut in 1928, Indian hockey teams have mostly worn blue jerseys, barring a few rare occasions.

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Issued by:

Amar Panicker

Published on:

20 Sep 2026 16:47 IST