Hockey WC: Indian player suspended

New Delhi, Mar 1 (PTI) In-form Indian hockey striker
Shivendra Singh has been suspended from India's next three
World Cup matches for hitting a Pakistani player and a jury
would decide his fate by Tuesday after his team appealed
against the suspension.

Tournament Director Ken Read told reporters that
Shivendra "deliberately" hit Fareed Ahmed by lifting his stick
in the 39th minute of the match which the hosts won 4-1 Sunday
night, leaving the Pakistani player with a small cut above the
eye.
The Pakistan team management did not make any complaint
but Read found Shivendra breaching FIH Code of Conduct and
guilty of level 2 offence -- physical assault without serious
injury.
"The action of lifting the stick was deliberate. A
four-match suspension is appropriate but given the (good)
history of Shivendra, I consider three-match suspension
appropriate," Read said.
Accordingly, Shivendra will miss -- unless the appeal
against his suspension is upheld -- India's matches against
Australia (Tuesday), Spain (Thursday) and against England
(Saturday).
The Indian team management, however, is hoping for a
reprieve.
"We got the intimation this morning and within the
stipulated time, filed an appeal, depositing the appeal fees
of Euro 600," Hockey India secretary Narinder Batra told PTI.

Read said a jury of appeal was being constituted and a
decision would come before India's match against Australia
Tuesday.
"A decision on the appeal should come out two hours
before India's next match. As far as I know a jury of appeal
is being constituted and decision could come even tonight,"
the Australian added.
Earlier at the hearing, Shivendra was shown the video
footage of the incident and he agreed that when the stick was
lifted, the ball was ahead of him on the ground and away from
the two players.
Shivendra argued that he had no intention to hit the
Pakistani player after the jabbing and just wanted to to run
faster and for that to hold his stick with both hands.
Read rejected the argument and held that there was no
need for the stick to be lifted.
"I find that the stick was deliberately raised and that
the behaviour of Shivendra was reckless as to the safety of
Fareed," Read said.
Incidentally, Read also suspended Pakistan goalkeeper
Irfan Muhammad from Tuesday's match against Spain for wearing
a long gauntlet-type glove and a knee pad, which were deemed
illegal, in the match against India.
Pakistan team manager Asif Bajwa was also severely
reprimanded for the breach of conduct. PTI PDS