Australian coach in 'Chak De India’ movie turns ‘villain’ in real-life with Indian defender Amit Rohidas’ suspension

Bollywood and sports have a strong bond, which was evident once again when the backstory of Amit Rohidas' suspension was revealed. The star defender of the Indian men’s hockey team was handed a one-match ban during their quarter-final match against Great Britain at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Rohidas was off the pitch almost 40 minutes from the final hooter as he received a red card. Following the match, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) stated that the players had breached the code of conduct and would be banned from participating in the next match.

Despite playing with a one-player short, the Men in Blue managed to put up an impressive performance to finish 1-1 in regular time. India made no mistake in the shootout either, with goalkeeper PR Sreejesh making some astonishing saves to lead the team to a remarkable 4-2 victory.

Also Check: WATCH: India's wild celebration after beating GBR in intense quarter finals of Paris Olympics

Hermanpreet Sing and Co. advanced to the semi-finals and will face Germany in the crucial encounter. However, the latest development suggests that they will miss the services of Rohidas. The move to ban the key defender sparked massive protests among Indian fans and officials. The team also filed a complaint against poor umpiring, saying they don't trust the video Review System.

Also Check: Hockey India files official complaint against poor umpiring in Paris Olympics, says no trust in Video Review System

Joshua Burt plays villain in both reel and real life

Meanwhile, in a surprising turn of events, Joshua Burt, the actor, known for his role as the Australian coach in the Bollywood movie, ‘Chak De! India’, played a key role in the suspension of Rohidas. Burt is currently the Technical Delegate for FIH at the Paris Olympics. He is the one who wrote the suspension letter for Rohidas' offence.

“Amit (player No. 30 of India) was suspended for one (1) match for a Breach of the FIH Code of Conduct which occurred during match no M32 India v Great Britain on 4th August 2024. The suspension affects match no. M35 on 6th August 2024, where ROHIDAS Amit will not participate, and India will play with a squad of fifteen (15) players only,” the FIH said in a statement.