Players made to shave heads, probe on

Kolkata, January 21

The Bengal Hockey Association (BHA) will form a three-member committee to look into the matter of the state Under-19 players being asked to shave their heads following a defeat in a match.

The Bengal U-19 team lost to Namdhari XI 1-5 in the quarterfinal of the Junior National Championship (B Division) in Jabalpur.

Coach Anand Kumar had allegedly told the players during half-time that he will have their heads tonsured if they lost. While some members of the squad said they did it after returning to Kolkata out of respect and disappointment, a few said they were forced.

The U-19 squad comprised 18 players and it was learnt that all of them except two had shaved their heads. A dozen of the players were from SAI's Eastern Regional Centre at Salt Lake. “I scolded them during the match and never said anything after that. Why will I force them? I will talk to the players about what happened. I did not get a chance to speak to them as I am in the hospital for my wife,” the coach said.

“When I came to know of it, I even tried to stop them. I was angry when we were losing by three-four goals during halftime. I scolded the boys and, in anger, said I will have their heads tonsured,” he explained.

SAI Director Manmeet Singh Goindi said he would speak to the players and then take necessary action. — PTI