NEW DELHI: In a rare gesture, the govt has decided to offer a lengthy four-year contract extension to hockey coach Craig Fulton-led support staff till the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028 to prepare the team for yet another podium finish at the Summer Games.
TOI has learnt that former South Africa international, Fulton, and other support staff members who guided the Harmanpreet Singh-led side to a historic bronze medal finish at the Paris Olympics, have received contract extensions to continue till 2028 on the recommendation made by Hockey India (HI) to the Sports Authority of India (SAI).
However, one person missing from the current coaching set-up will be Scottish analytical coach, Rhett Kenenedy Halkett, who has cited pressing family obligations as reason to turn down the extension. He has already left for his home country. Halkett had played a key role in the team’s success, including twin title wins at the Hangzhou Asian Games and Asian Champions Trophy in Chennai.
Apart from Fulton, those who have received extensions include Shivendra Singh (coach), Alan Tan (scientific advisor), Ranganathan Murugesan (head physio), Patrick Anthony Upton (mental trainer), Artur Ferdinand Lucas (video analyst), Arup Naskar (team official), Harshith Lakshman (video analyst) and Dennis Van de Pol (trainer, goalkeeping expert). It’s been learnt that all the players gave positive feedback about the coaching staff post Paris show and wanted them to continue till LA ’28.
In Fulton’s case, he was offered a five-year contract when he joined the Indian hockey coaching set-up in March 2023 replacing Graham Reid, who was aske to leave following the country’s failure to reach the quarters of the FIH World Cup. Reid’s contract had been extended till Paris 2024 after the Tokyo bronze, but the poor performance — ninth-place finish — in the World Cup cut short his stint.
Fulton’s continuation with the team was subject to his contract review based on the team’s performance at the Paris Games. He was told that extension till LA ’28 will be given after considering the team’s outing in Paris. After an impressive bronze finish, the 49-year-old Fulton and the entire support staff were offered extension.
Fulton is the highest paid among the foreign coaches at a monthly salary of $18,724. Before joining HI, Fulton was the assistant coach of Belgium when they won the 2018 FIH World Cup and Olympic gold at Tokyo 2020.
TOI has learnt that former South Africa international, Fulton, and other support staff members who guided the Harmanpreet Singh-led side to a historic bronze medal finish at the Paris Olympics, have received contract extensions to continue till 2028 on the recommendation made by Hockey India (HI) to the Sports Authority of India (SAI).
However, one person missing from the current coaching set-up will be Scottish analytical coach, Rhett Kenenedy Halkett, who has cited pressing family obligations as reason to turn down the extension. He has already left for his home country. Halkett had played a key role in the team’s success, including twin title wins at the Hangzhou Asian Games and Asian Champions Trophy in Chennai.
Apart from Fulton, those who have received extensions include Shivendra Singh (coach), Alan Tan (scientific advisor), Ranganathan Murugesan (head physio), Patrick Anthony Upton (mental trainer), Artur Ferdinand Lucas (video analyst), Arup Naskar (team official), Harshith Lakshman (video analyst) and Dennis Van de Pol (trainer, goalkeeping expert). It’s been learnt that all the players gave positive feedback about the coaching staff post Paris show and wanted them to continue till LA ’28.
In Fulton’s case, he was offered a five-year contract when he joined the Indian hockey coaching set-up in March 2023 replacing Graham Reid, who was aske to leave following the country’s failure to reach the quarters of the FIH World Cup. Reid’s contract had been extended till Paris 2024 after the Tokyo bronze, but the poor performance — ninth-place finish — in the World Cup cut short his stint.
Fulton’s continuation with the team was subject to his contract review based on the team’s performance at the Paris Games. He was told that extension till LA ’28 will be given after considering the team’s outing in Paris. After an impressive bronze finish, the 49-year-old Fulton and the entire support staff were offered extension.
Fulton is the highest paid among the foreign coaches at a monthly salary of $18,724. Before joining HI, Fulton was the assistant coach of Belgium when they won the 2018 FIH World Cup and Olympic gold at Tokyo 2020.
