New Delhi // India’s preparations for next year’s Olympic field hockey were thrown into turmoil on Monday after chief coach Paul van Ass said he had been sacked just five months after taking charge.
Speculation over the Dutchman’s future arose when he failed to report for a national training camp.
He also did not submit his report on the team’s performance in the recent World Hockey League in Antwerp, Belgium, where India finished fourth.
Van Ass told the Press Trust of India he had been fired a week after the league ended and the team’s high performance director Roelant Oltmans had been asked to take over.
“Don’t ask me anything, ask Hockey India,” Van Ass said from the Netherlands. “I did not step aside.
“I was asked to go.
“I had been told that (Hockey India chief) Dr Narinder Batra does not want me to be the coach any more. Roelant called me and informed me about this.
“I am yet to get an official confirmation, but I expect to get it by the end of this week. That is precisely the reason why I did not turn up for the camp.”
Batra declined to say if Van Ass had been sacked, insisting he was unaware of the coach’s plans.
“He was supposed to join the team on July 17, but he is not back yet,” Batra said. “We have no idea where he is.”
A high-powered committee of Hockey India is to meet on July 24 to decide the future course of action.
Batra has denied reports that he had a heated argument with Van Ass in Antwerp over team tactics.
The Dutchman was appointed Indian coach in February, the sixth foreigner to hold the post over the past decade.
Van Ass, who coached the Netherlands to a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics, replaced Australian Terry Walsh, who resigned over a pay dispute in October last year.
Walsh left three weeks after guiding the men’s team to the Asian Games title that earned India a direct entry to the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
The foreign coaches who have served the Indian team over the past 10 years are Spaniard Jose Brasa, Australians Ric Charlesworth, Michael Nobbs and Walsh, Germany’s Gerhard Rach and Van Ass.
An unnamed senior player has been reported as having said that the uncertainty over the coach was hitting preparations for the Olympics.
“It definitely affects us,” the player said. “It affects our training, our performance and our preparation.
“It takes time for players to build a rapport with the coach. So if the chief coach is changed every other day it is bound to affect our performance.
“If Van Ass is not coming, we are back to square one.”
India won the last of their eight Olympic men’s field hockey gold medals at the Western-boycotted Moscow Games in 1980 and have not won a major world title since.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
BRIEF SCORES:
Toss: Nepal, chose to field
UAE 153-6: Shaiman (59), Usman (30); Regmi 2-23
Nepal 132-7: Jora 53 not out; Zahoor 2-17
Result: UAE won by 21 runs
Series: UAE lead 1-0
The specs: 2018 Mercedes-AMG C63 S Cabriolet
Price, base: Dh429,090
Engine 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission Seven-speed automatic
Power 510hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque 700Nm @ 1,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 9.2L / 100km
Profile of Foodics
Founders: Ahmad AlZaini and Mosab AlOthmani
Based: Riyadh
Sector: Software
Employees: 150
Amount raised: $8m through seed and Series A - Series B raise ongoing
Funders: Raed Advanced Investment Co, Al-Riyadh Al Walid Investment Co, 500 Falcons, SWM Investment, AlShoaibah SPV, Faith Capital, Technology Investments Co, Savour Holding, Future Resources, Derayah Custody Co.
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Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
SPECS
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Find the right policy for you
Don’t wait until the week you fly to sign up for insurance – get it when you book your trip. Insurance covers you for cancellation and anything else that can go wrong before you leave.
Some insurers, such as World Nomads, allow you to book once you are travelling – but, as Mr Mohammed found out, pre-existing medical conditions are not covered.
Check your credit card before booking insurance to see if you have any travel insurance as a benefit – most UAE banks, such as Emirates NBD, First Abu Dhabi Bank and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, have cards that throw in insurance as part of their package. But read the fine print – they may only cover emergencies while you’re travelling, not cancellation before a trip.
Pre-existing medical conditions such as a heart condition, diabetes, epilepsy and even asthma may not be included as standard. Again, check the terms, exclusions and limitations of any insurance carefully.
If you want trip cancellation or curtailment, baggage loss or delay covered, you may need a higher-grade plan, says Ambareen Musa of Souqalmal.com. Decide how much coverage you need for emergency medical expenses or personal liability. Premium insurance packages give up to $1 million (Dh3.7m) in each category, Ms Musa adds.
Don’t wait for days to call your insurer if you need to make a claim. You may be required to notify them within 72 hours. Gather together all receipts, emails and reports to prove that you paid for something, that you didn’t use it and that you did not get reimbursed.
Finally, consider optional extras you may need, says Sarah Pickford of Travel Counsellors, such as a winter sports holiday. Also ensure all individuals can travel independently on that cover, she adds. And remember: “Cheap isn’t necessarily best.”
Kanye%20West
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Barbie
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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