New Delhi, Nov 1 (IANS) Legendary hockey player Zafar Iqbal reflected on Indian hockey completing 100 magnificent years and said that what the sport has achieved over the past century is a significant accomplishment.

For decades, even before India gained independence, Indian hockey epitomised global sporting excellence. With a proud collection of 13 Olympic medals- 8 gold, 1 silver, and 4 bronze- India established itself as a dominant force in the sport. A key figure in India’s hockey history is the incomparable Iqbal, a gold medallist from the 1980 Moscow Olympics. That year marked India’s most recent gold medal at the Summer Olympics.

Iqbal reflected on the majestic 100 years of Indian hockey, stating, “I would say it is a big achievement by Indian Hockey during the last 100 years. If you consider what hockey has done for the country during the last 100 years, we have 8 gold medals in the Olympic Games, and medals at the World Cup too. They have done a great job for the country. They have brought laurels for the country, and no other team in the world has done the same thing in the past 100 years, even if you consider Australia, Germany, Holland, and other great hockey-playing nations.”

Iqbal was a key figure during his playing days. He not only secured a gold medal at the 1980 Moscow Olympics but also earned two silver medals at the Asian Games in 1978 and 1982, along with a bronze at the 1982 Champions Trophy. Reflecting on this successful period in his career, he said, “Indian hockey has achieved a lot more after India won independence in 1947. We have won 5 gold medals since 1947.”

Hockey made a switch to astroturf at the 1976 Olympic Games, a departure from India’s usual grass surfaces. Despite this change, India adapted and won the gold medal in Moscow in 1980. Iqbal recalls with pride how the team approached the campaign. “We never had much experience of playing on astro turfs because there weren’t any in India at that time. We played Spain in the final in 1980, and it was a very tough match. Spain were one of the top teams at the time, and we had to defend very well in the final phases of the match to clinch the win. It was all down to our skills and abilities that we were able to defeat Spain.”

“We were so happy that tears were going down, there was a feeling of enjoyment when we got on the podium. We were enjoying the game and everybody was supporting us, even though there were hardly any spectators from India. But all the embassy officials were there,” he added.

Iqbal commented on the current generation of Indian hockey players, noting, “We have to show to the world that we have a lot of players who can become champions in the future. We won the 2016 Junior Men’s Hockey World Cup, and now I hope we play well and finish on the podium in the 2025 Junior Men’s Hockey World Cup.”

He also added, “Hockey India is a well-organized unit, and they are doing the job professionally and I am sure they can grow hockey in our country.”

— IANS

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