Sjoerd Marijne, head coach of the Indian women’s hockey team, took to social media on Monday about what he deemed was a contentious call in his side’s group-stage clash with China a day earlier — a China penalty stroke that leveled the score at 1-1.
China, silver medallists at the Paris Olympics, were awarded the stroke right at the close of the first quarter.
Ying Zhang stepped up and scored by sending the ball to the left of Indian custodian Savita Punia. The goal helped China draw level after Navneet Kaur had put India ahead.
Slow-motion footage, however, appeared to show Zhang dragging the ball well ahead of the designated spot and changing direction to send Punia the wrong way before flicking the ball past the wrong footed Indian goalkeeper.
Marijne shared the replay clip on his social media, writing that he had sought clarification from the FIH rules committee and was told the action did not count as dragging.
The post has since been taken down.
This post from the Indian coach has since been taken down. (Photo credit: Screen grab)
The rule
Under FIH regulation 13.7, a penalty stroke must be taken with a push, flick, or scoop, and the ball can be lifted to any height — but a dragging motion is explicitly against the rules.
The rules prohibit a dragging action. (Photo credit: FIH Rules of Hockey 2026)
The coach also took issue with the officials’ handling of the match itself, expressing disappointment that his team wasn’t given a penalty corner in the final minutes.
Speaking to the media after the match, he said he believed the outcome could have been different had the corner been awarded, but added that the team simply had to accept them the calls made.
Despite the calls being questioned, the 2-2 scoreline against fourth-ranked China was seen as a solid outcome for Marijne’s squad, who take on South Africa next on Tuesday.
