David John quits: SAI accepts resignation of Hockey India’s High-Performance Director

The Sports Authority of India (SAI) has accepted the resignation of Hockey India’s High-Performance Director David John days after he announced to step down citing health and personal reasons. Hockey India had accepted John’s resignation on August 21 before getting approval from his official employers - SAI.

John joined Hockey India in 2016 as a high-performance director with a remuneration of $12,000 per month, making him the second-highest-paid hockey coaching staff. John’s contract was renewed only three weeks ago and was set to expire in September 2021 following the Tokyo Olympics. 

John has previously worked with the Men’s national team as the Physiologist / Scientific Advisor prior to the London Olympics in 2012. He has also worked in a similar role, as a Performance Director for two teams of the Hockey India League, most recently for as Kalinga Lancers’ High-Performance manager for the 2016 season where the team finished as runners up.

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Being sidelined?

According to media reports, he was feeling sidelined in Hockey India for a long time and felt ignored during important team decisions. A source close to the development told PTI that he was no more involved in team decisions and was only occupied with taking online classes for coaches and players.

The alleged continuous neglect and five-months break due to coronavirus pandemic apparently worked as a trigger for him to step down from the role. The resignation of John comes months before the mega event scheduled to be held in Tokyo next year which was postponed due to the ongoing virus pandemic.

SAI’s decision to accept John’s resignation spared the public from the repetition of a drama that unfolded in 2017 when the sports body declined to accept Roelant Oltmans’ resignation as men’s coach despite Hockey India’s insistence. The reluctance by SAI then led to women’s coach Sjoerd Marijne being made men’s coach while Harendra Singh was given charge of the women’s team.

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(With PTI inputs)