India women's hockey team has had a tough run of results in the recent past. The team failed to qualify for the upcoming 2024 Olympics. This is a huge blow given that India had finished fourth in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Now, the Head Coach, Janneke Schopman, has announced her decision to leave the job. The 46-year-old, who was India's analytical coach during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, has been in the hot seat for over two years now.
The event of Schopman stepping down from her position was not surprising. It came days after she spoke to the media about the ill-treatment she and her team received.
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What did Janneke Schopman say about HI in the past?
The former Dutch defender took over the reins from fellow country-man Sjoerd Marijne. Schopman, whose contract ran until August 2024, has decided to cut ties with the Indian Hockey Team, six months prior.
About a week back, Schopman talked about how she was disrespected in India, coming from a place (The Netherlands) where women are "valued and respected". The sacking of Schopman was more about when, than why, and was inevitable.
I felt alone a lot in the last two years. It has been very hard (to deal with officials), because, I come from a culture where women are respected and valued. I don’t feel that here.
She also revealed how she and her team were not treated at par with the men's team coach and players. She called India "a difficult place for women".
I look at the difference at how men’s coaches are treated between me and the men’s coach, or the girls and the men’s team, just in general, the 46-year-old added.
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What was India's record under Janneke Schopman?
| MATCHES PLAYED | WINS | DRAWS | LOSSES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 74 | 38 | 17 | 19 |