Two Olympians from the city, Selma D’Silva and Margaret Toscano, who represented India at the 1980 Moscow Games share their thoughts on the women’s team’s campaign so far. They discuss the semifinal loss and what the strategy should be in the battle for bronze against Great Britain
Indian players celebrate their quarter-final victory over Australia at the Tokyo Olympics on August 2. Photo: PTI
Indian hockey is at an all-time high following exciting performances from both the women’s and men's teams in the last 10 days. The women, who reached their first ever Olympic semifinal, fought for a place in the final but lost 1-2 to Argentina in the match on August 4. Ahead of their match against Great Britain early on Friday, almost every Indian is wishing they will secure a bronze medal. The players have put up an impressive campaign at the 2020 Tokyo Games so far, with their fitness and resilience being the highlights.
In a disturbing turn of events, however, in Vandana Katariya's village in Haridwar, two upper-caste men passed casteist remarks and mocked her family outside their home, claiming India had lost the last match because of "too many Dalit players". One of the two men was detained, according to reports.
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Mid-day asked two Mumbai-based veteran Olympians, Padma Shri awardee Selma D’Silva and Margaret Toscano, who played for the women’s team in 1980 to break down the recent game against Argentina. They reflect on the ideal strategy for the upcoming battle for bronze, as well as what the overall performance of the women’s team could mean for Indian women’s hockey and sports in general.
Selma D'Silva in action at the peak of her hockey career. Photo: Selma D'Silva
Selma D’Silva, ex-Olympian, Left Inside Forward 1980 Moscow Games:
What is your reaction to India’s semifinal against Argentina? How should the team prepare for the bronze medal match?
We were so close but a really good effort from the team to reach so far into the tournament. We should have scored quickly and kept the pressure but we became more defensive in the second and third quarter and by the time it was the fourth quarter, it was too late. It is very difficult to make a comeback in the fourth quarter. We missed several sitters and Vandana Katariya had an opportunity too. Argentina have always been a physical team but it is not like you can't beat them. Our left flank was very good and they were playing along, and that is where we should have changed the game and gone to the other side.
As far as Great Britain goes, we will have to score early, play attacking and keep the pressure on them. We cannot wait to get penalty corners to be able to score a goal, we should take a shot on goal, every time we enter the circle. Our shots during circle penetrations are very less compared to the other teams and we need to make use of that more.
How could this record-making Olympics campaign impact the future of Indian women's hockey? And of Indian women in sports generally?
It is certainly a boost in the right direction for women's hockey and now that they have reached this stage, they can only go forward from here. Yes, their fitness has improved over the last five years. In the fourth quarter, it looked like the Argentinians were more tired than the Indians and that is good to see. Now, they need to build on it and work from there towards the next tournament and keep playing more to get as much exposure as they can of the game, so that they are better prepared the next time.
As far as women in sports are concerned, it is good to see so many Indian women taking up so many different sports including wrestling and weightlifting, which previously did not see many women. They have received a lot of encouragement. However, more needs to be done. In India, everybody is expected to become an engineer or a doctor and becoming a sportsperson is not thought of because it does not give the security of a job always. If the money aspect is taken care of, then they can focus on their game. It takes years to become good at the sport by honing your skills and technique. Look at the Indian cricketers, they are only focusing on their game and now football has also improved because they are getting contracts. Here hockey is our national game, and only the Railways gives you a proper job.
Most of the Olympic women's team plays for the Railways, and there need to be others who will give them jobs, so that they can spend their money and concentrate on their game. It is not only that, they also need to put more money into the grassroots to encourage children to take the sport when they are young, if they want them to win medals. They only get recognition when they win medals at the Olympic level and after that they are forgotten. The efforts are good in Haryana right now as they are encouraging more people to take up the game. If you see, maximum players in the current team are from Haryana.
What is your response to the casteist abuse Vandana Katariya's family faced in their village?
It is disgusting and disgraceful. Look at the mentality. These are sick minds. If Katariya is someone who is donning the Indian Blues, she must have worked hard and is India's pride unlike the two pice good-for-nothings who make this comment. This girl has created a record by scoring a hat-trick. One that will be hard to beat. She should be applauded not targeted.
Margaret Toscano goalkeeping in one of the many matches of her hockey career. Photo: Margaret Toscano
Margaret Toscano, ex-Olympian, Goalkeeper 1980 Moscow Games:
What is your reaction to India’s loss to Argentina, and how should the team prepare for the bronze medal match in terms of strategy?
The team has improved by leaps and bounds compared to what we used to play almost 40 years ago. In the last match, they played well in the first half but became too defensive in the second half. The Argentines were still more fit than our girls in that period and overall they still have to match the Europeans. They have improved tremendously from the last Olympics. I find the way that they trap the ball, the way they receive the ball has seen tremendous improvement.
For the match against Great Britain, I think now everybody knows that India is strong on the left and Vandana (Katariya) moved to the right but we need to concentrate on our right side too and we hardly used that side in the last match. There was not much coordination between the half-line and the forward once we got that first goal and there was no support from the half line. We have played in Argentina and know each other's game.
What are your expectations for the future of women's hockey in India?
I’ve been away from hockey for a while now and our rules are so outdated compared to today. I happened to speak to our first coach Satinderpal Walia this morning and I said ‘Sir, it is because of you we have 13 Railway players in the Indian team today'. I am a proud Railway team player and he was the man who started the Western Railway hockey team. He went and picked Eliza (Nelson) from Pune, another player from Patiala, two more from Jaipur and some from the south. He made a lot of sacrifices and when the girls came to Bombay, there were 13 girls all living in one room. Unfortunately, he didn’t come with us due to politics, even though he trained us, but he should have been there and 41 years later, it still breaks my heart.
Hockey will remain in the villages and all the girls will come from there. They are from government schools and stay in sports hostels. You know in Mumbai, no parent is going to send their child to a sports hostel. Those in villages will come up because they are eager, and here everything is given on a platter to all.
Once the Mumbai players retired from the Western Railway team, we had to bring girls from Jharkhand, Manipur and Punjab because there were no girls playing in Mumbai. The team had to go all over to look for players and several of them from Manipur have played for India. However, I don’t think there will be any from Mumbai. They have all gone through hard times to be where they are. Today, even Bombay can produce the players because there is money.
People always look down on government and railways jobs but there is so much scope because they can play along with the job. Unfortunately, no parent will allow you to play and they will say focus on studies first, including my own father, during my time.
What is your reaction to the casteist abuse hurled by upper-caste men in Vandana Katariya's village after the loss?
What caste was Vandana when she scored a hat-trick? That's the question I need to ask.
Also Read: Why the mental health of elite sportspersons is in focus
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