2024 has been a difficult year for Indian hockey. In January, the women's national team failed in their final attempt to qualify for the upcoming Paris Olympics, finishing fourth in their qualifying tournament in Ranchi.
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Last week, the team saw further trouble as head coach Janneke Schopman broke down during a media interaction on the sidelines of India's Pro League match against USA. She spoke at length about the day-to-day difficulties of working with Hockey India, and the lack of respect she felt, as a woman, from the organisation.
Schopman did not go so far as to confirm her resignation in the interview, but that decision came soon enough, as she stepped down just four days later.
Why did Elena Norman resign as Hockey India CEO?
In her interview, Schopman had named two people; Hockey India CEO Elena Norman and President Dilip Tirkey, as those who had supported her within the federation. On Tuesday, just three days after Schopman's resignation, Norman also handed in her papers after 13 years in charge.
Tirkey thanked Norman for her work at the helm of Indian hockey, before shedding some more light on her reasons for leaving. According to the Tribune, Norman resigned due to unpaid dues and difficult work environment. Tirkey said:
Despite my best efforts to persuade Elena to continue her invaluable contributions to our organisation, we cannot overlook the challenges she has faced, particularly issues surrounding unpaid dues and increasingly difficult working environment.
The decision for her departure is truly disappointing, as I firmly believe that Hockey India is losing a seasoned professional who has played a pivotal role in the growth and elevation of the sport’s professionalism over the past 12-13 years.
During Norman's time in charge of Hockey India, the country hosted the Men's Senior and Junior World Cups twice each. The Indian men's team also broke a 41-year medal drought at the Olympics by winning bronze in Tokyo in 2021.
She was also a pioneer in bringing women's hockey into the limelight, as well as ensuring equal rewards and facilities for the women, as the men. This played a part in the team's historic Olympic qualification in 2016, after a gap of 36 years.
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