As per the International Hockey Federation’s (FIH) regulations, umpires have to quit at the age of 47. “I turned 47 on April 2 this year, but as per the rules, you can umpire till December in your birth year, so I was lucky to get this Asian Games,” Shaikh told mid-day
Umpire Javed Shaikh at the Gongshu Canal Sports Park Stadium yesterday. Pic/Ashwin Ferro
After 20 years of accurate decision making across 174 international hockey matches, Mumbai-based umpire Javed Shaikh hung up his whistle after the bronze medal clash between Korea and China at the Gongshu Canal Sports Park Stadium here on Friday.
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As per the International Hockey Federation’s (FIH) regulations, umpires have to quit at the age of 47. “I turned 47 on April 2 this year, but as per the rules, you can umpire till December in your birth year, so I was lucky to get this Asian Games,” Shaikh told mid-day.
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The Ghatkopar resident has officiated in four Asian Games (Doha 2002, Incheon 2014, Jakarta 2018 and Hangzhou 2022), three World Cups (The Hague 2014, Bhubaneswar 2018 and the 2023 World Cup in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela) and two Olympics (2016 Rio and 2020 Tokyo).
A Senior Assistant with the Mumbai Port Authority, Shaikh insisted he is satisfied with the way he has blown his whistle across the last two decades. “Hockey is a fast game with supremely fit players and keeping pace with them across 60 minutes is a tough job. Also, as an umpire, you cannot afford to make mistakes in international hockey because it is a widely popular sport. Thankfully, I think I have done a fair job,” said Shaikh, who was not known to flash too many cards as his short, sharp and timely whistle effectively conveyed to a player that a foul had been committed and play must stop immediately.
Shaikh won’t be away from the game though. “I have two options now. I can either be an umpire’s manager or a TD [tournament director]. I would like to be an umpire’s manager because it will be interesting to train and educate umpires,” he said.
Shaikh’s last day at the office was a tough one, but he thoroughly enjoyed it nevertheless. “I like tough matches and this bronze match was a keenly contested affair. One-sided games can be boring to officiate in. Today, the score was 1-1 till the last minute before Korea’s drag flicker Jang Jong Hyun scored the winner with one minute left on the clock and I was more than happy to blow the whistle, signalling my last goal in international hockey,” he concluded.
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