The Indian hockey teams’ experiment with a change in jersey colour has been partially rolled back and the players will now don the traditional blue at the upcoming Asian Games.

The saffron kit, which led to allegations of politicisation and internal tussle within Hockey India, will be the second option.

“The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) had asked us our preferred choice and HI has given blue as the first choice. Saffron will be the second colour,” HI president Dilip Tirkey said.

Meanwhile, almost two months after the sports ministry asked the Indian Olympic Association to conduct an independent inquiry into former captain Asunta Lakra’s allegations of harassment and intimidation against Hockey India secretary Bholanath Singh, a four-member committee has been constituted for the same.

The committee

The committee, headed by Justice (retd.) Deepa Sharma, also includes former India striker and 2002 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Mamta Kharab and former sprinter Vandana Rao.

Supreme Court advocate Sitwat Nabi is the fourth member of the committee which is expected to begin work later this week.

Following up on her accusations of threats and intimidation by Hockey India secretary Bholanath Singh, former India captain Asunta Lakra has urged the Sports Ministry to intervene against the “institutional protection of sexual harassment, intimidation and victimisation of women athletes in hockey”, even as federation president Dilip Tirkey assured to look into the matter.

Writing to the ministry, the Sports Authority of India (SAI), Indian Olympic Association president P.T. Usha, among others, Asunta alleged that individuals accused of misconduct were being protected while those raising concerns were threatened.

“I write to you not merely as a former captain of the Indian women’s hockey team, a member of the Executive Board of Hockey India and a selector but as an Indian woman who chose to speak up when young female athletes were being sexually harassed,” wrote Asunta.

“Throughout my career, I believed the greatest responsibility of a senior player is not only to win medals but also to protect the next generation… I brought to the attention of the Jharkhand government allegations against Sudhir Golla… what followed has shaken my faith in the system. The machinery of intimidation was set in motion against me,” she alleged.

Tirkey assured he would talk to both parties to resolve the matter. “Asunta Lakra is one of the treasures of Indian hockey. She has done a great service to the sport by bringing to light an unfortunate incident related to Jharkhand hockey. The Jharkhand government has taken action against Sudhir Golla, and we removed him from the Under-18 national team.

“Regarding allegations against Bholanath, I will speak to both parties and hope that the matter is resolved amicably. The dignity and respect of women is our top priority and Hockey India remains fully committed to the same,” Tirkey said.

She keeps a low profile. M.D. Valsamma has preferred to be away from the public eye after retiring from the track as one of India’s finest athletes.

She won the 400m hurdles gold at the New Delhi Asian Games in 1982 and helped India qualify for the women’s 4x400m relay final at the Los Angeles Olympics two years later. She still cherishes those memories.

Also read: When bitterness, sadness came together, says Valsamma

“I will never forget winning that gold in New Delhi, the way the stadium erupted, and all the accolades that followed,” Valsamma told The Hindu. “And yes, qualifying for the Olympics final is also just as unforgettable; the athletics world was surprised by our show.”

Two of her teammates were also from Kerala — P.T. Usha and Shiny Wilson; the odd woman out was Karnataka’s Vandana Rao. She is worried that Kerala isn’t producing as many outstanding female athletes as it used to.

“It is almost shocking that no female athlete from Kerala has qualified for the Olympics since 2016,” she said. “For a State that has given India so many great athletes from my time onwards — Usha, Mercy Kuttan, Sreekumari Amma and I are all products of Kerala’s first sports hostel — it is indeed a sorry state of affairs.”

Valsamma feels a lot has to be done if the State wants to regain its lost glory. “We shouldn’t forget that most of our girls in athletics come from financially weak families and they need jobs,” she said. “Now there are few job opportunities. Our athletes should be funded properly and there should be enough physical education teachers at our schools.”

Also read: She set the track ablaze

She recalled her career in sport owed to the physical education teacher at the Alakode NSS School in Kannur. “It was my teacher, N.J. Paul, who convinced my parents that I had the potential,” she said.

“He came to our home and told them that the Kerala Government was starting a sports hostel. That was how I attended the trials at Thrissur. I was initially in the wait-list, but later on I was able to join the first batch of Sports Hostel at Mercy College, Palakkad. Usha joined us a year later.”

It was there that Valsamma met coach A.K. Kutty, the man who would transform her into a top athlete. “Until I met him, I hadn’t had any scientific training in my life: I would just come and run, there was no warm-up, jogging or exercises,” she said. “And when he realised that I had a talent to clear the hurdles smoothly he began to train me for the 400m hurdles. We surely could do with more coaches like him.”