The International Hockey Federation (FIH) announced on Friday that India’s Harmanpreet Singh and Felice Albers of the Netherlands have been named the players and players of the 2021-2022 season. Tom Boon and Arthur Van Doren, the two Red Lions nominated for the men’s cup, finished 3rd and 5th respectively.
Defender Harmanpreet Singh, 26, a specialist sleeping in the penalty corner, replaced himself. With 29.4 points, he is ahead of the Dutchman Thierry Brinkman (23.6) and Tom Boon (23.4). Arthur DeSloover is 5 (10.1). Among the women, Albers22, collecting 29.1 points, ahead of Argentina Maria Granato (26.9) and Agustina Gorzelany (16.4).
Like last year, India’s stampede continues, as at the start of the week the best women’s trophy fell to Mumtaz Khanthe title of best goalkeeper of the year goes to PR Sreejesh (gentlemen) and Savita Punia (women) and two Indian national team coaches, Janeke Schopman and Graham Reid. Only French players from Gantoise Timothy Clement won the award for best male hope.
It was the subject of much discussion last year when India swept all possible trophies, the Hockey Star Award, despite some modifications made by the FIH, has barely progressed since then since whenever an Indian is mentioned in the category he emerges victorious. It is clear that Asian countries cast a large number of votes for their representatives, always Indians, and that the European federations are still equally disinterested (only 15 countries out of forty votes). Media voting also always comes into play when an Indian is involved in a category. But there is no transparency, because the quota of Asian journalists compared to other continents is still unknown.
