Date:13/03/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/13/stories/2008031360202300.htm

Sport - Hockey

Umpires hit out at Carvalho’s remarks

New Delhi: Taking a swipe at Joaquim Carvalho, top umpires of the country on Wednesday lashed out at the Indian coach’s excuse that the team suffered because of poor umpiring in the Olympic qualifiers in Chile.

“I was shocked to hear Carvalho blaming poor umpiring for the team’s defeat. It is incorrect. The two yellow cards in the final to Sardara Singh and Prabhjot Singh were correctly given,” said Kukoo Walia, an umpires’ manager of the International Hockey Federation.

FIH Grade One umpire Virendra Bahadur said Carvalho ought not to have blamed the match officials. “He is an Olympian and it’s not an excuse you expect from him. He should have admitted that the team played badly and lost. I have seen all the matches and the cards were given correctly,” he said.