New Delhi, March 2 India's centre forward Shivendra Singh is livid with the two-match suspension by the International Hockey Federation (FIH), but he is determined to perform better on his return to play in the Hockey World Cup.
New Delhi, March 2 (IANS) India's centre forward Shivendra Singh is livid with the two-match suspension by the International Hockey Federation (FIH), but he is determined to perform better on his return to play in the Hockey World Cup.
'I am very disappointed with the decision. The penalty is unjust because I never committed the foul intentionally. I was running for the ball and while I was in motion the stick suddenly hit the Pakistani player. But it was never deliberate,' Shivendra said Tuesday.
During India's 4-1 win against Pakistan Sunday, Shivendra's stick found Fareed Ahmed who suffered a cut on his eye.
Tournament director Ken Read slapped a three-match ban on Shivendra and said that it was 'deliberate and a reckless action.' But a three-member appeals committee that met here Tuesday reduced the ban to two matches and termed the incident as 'reckless.'
'It does not matter to me because at the end of the day I would be missing the crucial match against Australia,'' Shivendra shrugged.
'Now I am even more determined to perform when I return to the field.'