Bhola Nath Calls India’s Hockey Jersey Row ‘Unwarranted’, Says Tirkey Was Aware
Hockey India’s internal disagreement over the Indian men’s and women’s teams’ jersey colour has resurfaced, with secretary general Bhola Nath Singh describing the controversy as unwarranted. He has also claimed that federation president Dilip Tirkey was aware of the decision to change India’s traditional blue jersey to saffron ahead of the 2026 Hockey World Cup.
Speaking to PTI in an interview on October 31, Bhola Nath said the decision was taken after players and the team management were shown several designs. According to him, the group preferred the orange-coloured option. His remarks directly contradict Tirkey’s earlier position that the change was implemented without his knowledge or the approval of Hockey India’s Executive Board.
Bhola Nath Disputes Tirkey’s Version
Bhola Nath maintained that the jersey decision was not taken without the president’s knowledge. He said Tirkey was as aware of the change as he was, but questioned why the federation president later claimed otherwise.
“When the jersey was changed, the players and the team management were given 4-5 designs and they liked the orange colour,” Bhola Nath said. He added that he and Tirkey had similar knowledge of the decision before the president subsequently said he was unaware.
Tirkey had earlier raised concerns about the decision-making process, stating that the change had not been placed before the Executive Board or brought to his notice before implementation. He had sought an explanation from federation officials about the authority and procedure behind the change.
Secretary General Says Controversy Distracted Players
Bhola Nath argued that the timing of the controversy was particularly unfortunate, with the World Cup and Asian Games approaching. He said the priority should have been to protect the players’ focus rather than allow an administrative disagreement to become a public issue.
He also pointed out that players are active on social media and would inevitably come across the debate. According to him, the controversy risked disturbing the team during preparations for important international tournaments.
Bhola Nath said he had personally asked the players to ignore the discussions and concentrate on their performances, assuring them of his support.
Saffron Jersey Continued Beyond the World Cup
The change from blue to saffron ahead of the World Cup became a major talking point because blue has long been associated with Indian hockey. The national teams have largely worn blue since India’s Olympic debut in 1928, with only a few exceptions.
The issue resurfaced before the Asian Games when Tirkey indicated that India would return to blue as its primary kit, with white as the second option. However, the saffron kit continued to be used during the Asian Games and was also worn by the team in the ongoing Asian Champions Trophy in Punjab at the time of Bhola Nath’s comments.
India’s Asian Games Success Remains the Priority
Bhola Nath defended the team’s focus on performance, pointing to India’s achievements at the Asian Games. Both the men’s and women’s teams won gold medals, securing qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
He said the Olympic qualification was the main target at the Asian Games and that both teams had achieved it. For him, the results on the field mattered more than the controversy surrounding the playing kit.
However, the contrasting statements from two senior Hockey India officials have brought the federation’s decision-making process back into focus. While Bhola Nath maintains that the players’ preference guided the change and that Tirkey was informed, the disagreement over who knew about and approved the decision remains a significant issue within Indian hockey administration.
