Indian Men’s Hockey Team defender Amit Rohidas will not participate in the semi-final match against Germany on Tuesday after receiving a one-match suspension for his foul in the quarterfinal clash against Great Britain.
In the second quarter of that match, Rohidas was shown a red card for raising his stick and hitting opponent William Calnan on the head, leaving Bharat to play the remainder of the game with one player short.
The International Hockey Federation (FIH) issued an official statement confirming the suspension.
“Amit Rohidas was suspended for one match for a breach of the FIH Code of Conduct during the India vs Great Britain match on August 4,” the FIH statement read, as reported by Olympics.com.
“The suspension affects match No. 35 (India’s semi-final match against Germany), where Amit Rohidas will not participate, and India will play with a squad of 15 players only,” it added.
Rohidas, who is a key part of Bharat’s defence alongside captain Harmanpreet Singh, also plays a crucial role as the team’s first rusher during penalty corners.
In the quarterfinal match, Bharat, led by Harmanpreet Singh, secured a thrilling victory over Great Britain. The match ended 1-1 in regulation time, leading to a shootout where Bharat triumphed 4-2 to advance to the semi-finals.
During the second quarter of the match, Harmanpreet Singh scored from a penalty corner to give Bharat a 1-0 lead. Great Britain’s Lee Morton equalised before halftime, but despite numerous opportunities in the second half, Great Britain could not score again.
In the shootout, Bharat successfully converted all four of their attempts, with goalkeeper PR Sreejesh saving one, ensuring Bharat’s place in the semi-finals.
Bharat will now face Germany in the semi-final with a reduced squad, hoping to continue their strong performance despite the absence of Rohidas.
