New Delhi: Hockey India Secretary General Narinder Batra on Wednesday took moral "responsibility" for the country's early ouster from the FIH Junior Men's World Cup and apologised to the fans for letting them down.
India crashed out of the quarter-final race of the ongoing World Cup after being held 3-3 by Korea in a must-win Pool C match at the floodlit Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium here last night.
The result meant that both India and Korea finished their pool engagements with four points apiece, but the Koreans advanced as the second quarter-finalists from Pool C with better goal difference. Netherlands were the first team from Pool C to qualify for the last-eight stage after winning their three league fixtures.
"I personally take full responsibility for the dismal performance of Team India in Junior Men's World Cup in Delhi in failing to qualify for the quarter-finals yesterday," Batra said in a text message.
"Kindly do not put any blame on the team, the coaching staff and the high performance team. I, as head of all operations in Hockey India, take full responsibility and apologise to the nation, all hockey lovers, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports Authority of India for letting them down," he said.
India will now play Argentina in the 9-12 classification match on Thursday while Korea will take on Malaysia in the quarter-finals.
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