Amit was subsequently banned for one match for violating the FIH Code of Conduct, which meant he missed the semi-final against Germany.
Indian national hockey team defender Amit Rohidas had a tough time during the knockout rounds of the 2024 Paris Olympics. During India’s quarter-final win over Great Britain, Amit received a red card, leaving the Men in Blue with only ten players for most of the match.
Due to his behaviour, Amit was subsequently given a one-match suspension for breaching the FIH Code of Conduct, forcing him to miss the semi-final match against Germany. In a recent statement, Amit expressed his determination to put the incident behind him and remain focused on the upcoming match.
“I really missed the semifinals because of the suspension. It was such a crucial match,” Amit told PTI during the team’s honours at India House on Saturday.
“The whole country and my teammates just said it. The whole team will try even harder emotionally. I will focus on the next game (I knew the whole country and my teammates. Emotionally, they never made me feel like an underdog or sidelined. I was fully focused on our next game,” he added.
The Indian striker was penalised for swinging his bat and hitting British striker Will Calnan in the face. Amit has given his take on the incident.
“I don’t know what people are saying outside, but I know as a player what I went through. It was not intentional and the referee’s decision is part of the game,” he said of the incident.
India narrowly lost to Germany in a hard-fought semi-final but bounced back with a win over Spain in the bronze medal match.
“Maybe the color of the medal would have changed, but it’s all fate, you can’t change anything. Fortunately, we are not returning empty-handed. This is the country’s medal,” he said.
“Sreejesh Bhai may not be on the field after his retirement but he will always be with us as a guide and mentor. I am sure whoever takes his position under the bar, we will work together as a unit as we have done all along. We will follow the same process,” he added.
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