Manpreet plays down official 'yelling' at players in Kalinga Stadium VIP lounge

The Indian captain, however, said the incident won't have an effect on his team's performance in the quarterfinal of the Hockey World Cup.

In the quarterfinal clash of the World Cup, India takes on Netherlands.

India team players including captain Manpreet Singh were allegedly yelled at by a top Hockey India official for entering the VIP lounge of the Kalinga Stadium during the Hockey World Cup match between Netherlands and Canada.

According to the tournament guidelines, the players were not entitled to be present at the VIP lounge. But on the request of a few near and dear ones, Manpreet and a few players entered the area and signed autographs and clicked pictures with fans.

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But the players’ gesture didn’t go down well with the Hockey India with one of its top official storming the restricted area and yelling at the players to leave the place.

When asked about the incident, Manpreet said: “It was our own mistake that we went to the restricted area without our knowledge. It is not that we were taken there forcibly by someone. Anyways, when we realised our mistake we just came out.

“These are minor episodes which will have no effect on our performance against Netherlands tomorrow,” he said, referring to the crucial quarterfinal clash.