‘Misinformed’ Sjoerd Marijne apologises to Manpreet Singh

Sjoerd Marijne

Former India hockey coach Sjoerd Marijne issued a public apology to former captain Manpreet Singh for alleging that he had once asked a teammate to underperform.

In his book, ‘Will Power - The Inside Story of the Incredible Turnaround in Indian Women's Hockey,' the release of which ran into controversy after he was sued by members of the Indian men's and women's teams for divulging sensitive information, Marijne had alleged that Manpreet had asked a player "to stop playing well" during the 2018 Commonwealth Games so that his friends could get into the team.

On Monday, in an Instagram post, Marijne wrote: "I regret I've inadvertently made public reference to an allegation based on hearsay against men's captain Manpreet Singh, in reference to the underperformance of junior players. I have realised now that there was no material or basis for such an allegation. I express regret and apologise for the pain and hurt it caused Manpreet and the team, and I should've been more diligent."

The Dutchman added that he's withdrawing his statements that were widely reported in the media and which "were a result of misinformation and do not, in any way, impinge on the stellar reputation and contribution of Manpreet to the sport of hockey in India."