Sjoerd Marjine makes a public apology to India's former hockey skipper

Sjoerd Marjine, the ex-coach of the Indian hockey team, regrets allegations against former Indian captain Manpreet Singh. He blamed Singh for asking other players to underperform to bring his friends into the national team. However, for his words, he now seeks an apology from the former skipper.

Expressing regret for the hurt he caused to Singh and his mates, Sjoerd Marjine took to his social media account to make a public apology. He believes things could have been better had he been more 'diligent'. The statement reads:

"I regret that I inadvertently made public references to an allegation based on hearsay against the 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 has caused Manpreet and the rest of the team, and I should have been more diligent."

The statement further added that he did not want to fringe the reputation of Singh and his players.

"I do not in any way impinge on the stellar reputation and contribution of Manpreet Singh to the sport of hockey in India," added Marjine.

Notably, in his book 'Will Power', the ex-coach added that Manpreet asked one of his players to stop playing so well to let his friends enter the team. He concluded while wishing good luck to Singh and his players in the prestigious sport of hockey.

The former coach's book did not go so well among the men's and women's hockey players and caused frustration among them. The players even condemned the book after the excerpts were released in September 2022.

Notably, Sjoerd Marijne guided the Indian women's hockey team to finish as joint fourth-best at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.