Archive · 12 Aug 2026
India's Saffron Hockey Jersey Ignites Nationalism 'Colour Coup' Debate
A hockey team from India got new jerseys before an important World Cup tournament in Belgium.
For a very long time, the team's jerseys were blue, and fans called the team 'the Blues'.
Now the new jerseys are saffron, a bright orange-yellow colour.
In India, saffron is an important colour for some religious and political groups.
Many people are upset because they say the change was made secretly.
The leader of the hockey federation, Dileep Tirkey, said he did not even know about the new colour.
He has asked for an explanation about why the blue jerseys were replaced.
Some people think the team should keep its old colours, which everyone accepted.
In the past, players have also been told to remove military symbols from their jerseys.
So a simple shirt colour can start a big argument about sports, politics and patriotism.
India's hockey team was unveiled in new saffron jerseys just before departing for the World Cup in Belgium, replacing the traditional blue.
Hockey federation president Dileep Tirkey said he was unaware of the change and has asked for an explanation.
Critics describe the switch as a 'colour coup', since saffron is the dominant colour used by Hindu nationalist organisations and the ruling BJP.
Similar attempts to change the Indian cricket team's blue jersey have not succeeded because national colours are registered in sports.
Earlier, MS Dhoni was asked by the ICC to remove a military 'drawn dagger' symbol from his cricket jersey after national outrage.
- Who
- The Indian hockey team, hockey federation president Dileep Tirkey, and critics of the jersey change.
- What
- The team's traditional blue jersey was replaced with a saffron one, sparking debate over nationalism and political symbolism in Indian sports.
- When
- Just before the team departed for the World Cup in Belgium; no specific date was given.
- Where
- India, with the team departing for the Hockey World Cup in Belgium.
- Why
- Critics say the change reflects a continuing effort to present India in saffron, the colour associated with Hindu nationalist organisations and the ruling BJP.
Critics of the change
Supporters of saffron branding
Saffron jersey switch
Critics of the change
The replacement of the blue jersey with saffron is a 'colour coup' arranged in a backroom manoeuvre that kept the federation president and the Orissa state sponsor in the dark, and it imposes a religious-political colour on the team.
Supporters of saffron branding
Saffron is presented as a colour that projects India's national identity, and the article notes the change is part of a continuing effort to present India in saffron, the dominant colour of Hindu nationalist organisations and the ruling BJP.
Nationalism and militarism in sport
Critics of the change
Linking sport to muscular nationalism and militarism is a right-wing strategy that should be resisted; academic research on 'pseudo-nationalism' calls such claimed links between sport, nation and corporation tenuous and likely to fail.
Supporters of saffron branding
Patriotic symbols in sport are seen as inspiring players and fans; the article notes such attempts to link sport with nationalism have been made not only in India but also in Europe and the Americas, and players often dedicate victories to the country.
Religious and secular symbols on the field
Critics of the change
Players should not be forced to openly display their religious allegiances; no atheist or secular symbol has ever been shown by players, suggesting they fear the gods as much as their admiring countrymen.
Supporters of saffron branding
Showing faith and patriotism, such as kissing the national flag on the helmet or making religious signs after a victory, is an accepted tradition through which players dedicate their wins to their country and gods.
- Sport
- Field hockey
- Team
- India's national hockey team
- Previous jersey colour
- Blue (known as "the Blues")
- New jersey colour
- Saffron
- Upcoming tournament
- World Cup in Belgium
- Hockey federation president
- Dileep Tirkey
- State sponsor
- Orissa
- Related incident
- MS Dhoni's military dagger symbol removed by ICC