Rohidas gets one-match ban, set to miss India's Olympic hockey semi-final; HI lodges appeal
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Paris (PTI): India's key defender and first rusher Amit Rohidas will miss Tuesday's Olympic men's hockey semifinal against Germany after he was handed a one-match suspension following his red card against Great Britain in the quarterfinal.
This means India will have only 15 players available for the key clash, which is big set back for the eight-time Olympic champions.
"Amit Rohidas was suspended for one match for a breach of the FIH Code of Conduct which occurred during the India vs Great Britain match on August 4," a FIH statement read.
"The suspension affects match No. 35 (India's semi-final match against Germany), where Amit Rohidas will not participate and India will play with a squad of 15 players only."
Rohidas was given the marching order against Great Britain almost 40 minutes from the final hooter after his stick unintentionally hit a rival player on Sunday.
In the second quarter of the match against Great Britain, the 31-year-old Rohidas was engaged in a midfield slug fest against Will Calnan.
Rohidas swung his stick and hit Calnan's face in an attempt to flee the British forward.
The on-field umpire initially did not rule the challenge to be a serious offence, but TV umpire changed the decision and changed it to a red card following a video referral.
Down to 10 men, the Indians, however, fought tenaciously for the remaining time of the match and defended stoutly to hold Great Britain to a 1-1 draw at the end of regulation time.
In the subsequent shoot-out, veteran goalkeeper PR Sreejesh's heroics handed India a 4-2 win to seal a second consecutive Olympic semifinal berth.
Hockey India lodges appeal against Rohidas' suspension
A miffed Hockey India has already lodged an appeal against Rohidas' suspension and a decision on the matter will be taken by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) Jury Bench later in the day.
"Amit has been banned/suspended for one match by the tournament director. Hockey India has now appealed against this ruling and the appeal will be put forth before the FIH Jury Bench," a source told PTI.
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Bondi beach shooting: Ahmed al Ahmed’s heroic tackling of gunman earns him praise
Donations pour in for Ahmed’s recovery
Melbourne: Ahmed al Ahmed, a 43-year-old convenience store owner and father of two, is being widely praised for his bravery after he tackled and disarmed one of the gunmen during a deadly shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Sunday, December 14.
The attack took place near a children’s playground during the “Chanukah By The Sea,” a Jewish event, the Hanukkah celebration, which was attended by hundreds of families.
Two gunmen opened fire on the crowd, killing 11 people and injuring many others. In total, 29 people were taken to hospitals across Sydney.
The video that quickly spread across social media showed Ahmed crouching behind parked cars before running towards one of the attackers. As shots rang out, he came from behind, placed the gunman in a headlock, and wrestled the firearm away.
During the struggle, Ahmed was shot twice by a second gunman, suffering injuries to his hand, arm, and leg. Despite his injuries, he managed to disarm the attacker. Australian media later confirmed Ahmed al Ahmed as the man seen in the viral footage.
After the attack, he was widely hailed as a hero. Donations began pouring in from across Australia and abroad to support his recovery.
Quoting Reuters, Hindustan Times reported that a GoFundMe campaign set up for Ahmed raised more than A$1.1 million within a single day. Billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman was the largest donor, contributing A$99,999 and sharing the fundraiser on his X account.
Ahmed is currently recovering in St. George Hospital after undergoing surgery for gunshot wounds, and doctors have said he may require further procedures.
According to local reports, members of the public gathered outside St. George Hospital to show their support.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised Ahmed’s actions, saying they prevented the death toll from rising further.
“What we’ve seen in the last 24 hours was the worst of humanity in a terrorist act. But we also saw the best of humanity in Ahmed Al Ahmed running towards danger and putting his own life at risk,” Albanese told state run ABC News. He confirmed that Ahmed was shot twice by the second attacker during the incident.
Family members said Ahmed had no prior experience with firearms and acted purely on instinct.
Police later confirmed that two gunmen were involved in the attack. One was disarmed by Ahmed and later taken into custody in critical condition. The second gunman was fatally shot at the scene by a police officer who arrived shortly after Ahmed’s intervention.
A man who disarmed a terrorist has been identified as a Muslim named Ahmed Al Ahmad during an attack on a Jewish event in Sydney.
— Globe Eye News (@GlobeEyeNews) December 14, 2025
He prevented further harm to Jews. pic.twitter.com/OvU0y0iQq4
