Thaindian News

New Delhi, Mar 2 (ANI): The International Hockey Federation (FIH) on Tuesday lowered the three-match ban on Indian centre forward Shivendra Singh to two matches.

Singh was earlier suspended for three-matches of the Hockey World Cup for deliberately hitting a Pakistani player in the first match that India won at the Major Dhyan Chand National stadium on Sunday.

Singh had also been charged for launching a verbal battle and commenting on Pakistani players during the match.

Speaking to reporters in national capital New Delhi on Tuesday, Communication Manager of FIH, Arjen Meijer, said that a three-member panel of the FIH, which found Singh’s offence a level two offence of the Code of Conduct, took the decision.

“The appeal jury, who studied the case, concluded that it was a level two offence of the Code of Conduct and level two offence is minimum of two matches; (it) can be more, and they decided that this is a minimum penalty. So, they went back to two from three,” said Meijer.

This has come up as a respite for Team India, who had filed a petition against Singh’s suspension.

With the reduction on his ban, Singh will get to play the matches against England and South Africa. He, however, will miss crucial matches against Australia and Spain. (ANI)