Archive · 20 Sep 2026
India Wear Saffron Hockey Kits Despite Blue Jersey Assurance
India's two hockey teams wore saffron uniforms at the start of the Asian Games.
This surprised people because Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey had said the teams would mainly wear blue.
The men's team wore saffron while playing Indonesia.
The women's team also wore saffron while playing Uzbekistan.
The uniform color had already caused arguments during the previous month's World Cup.
Tirkey said the change had not been approved by Hockey India's elected leaders and Executive Board.
A Hockey India source gave a different account and said the kits had been approved by Tirkey.
The source also said blue uniforms can be hard to see on a blue playing surface.
The disagreement has drawn attention to how Hockey India makes decisions.
India's men's and women's hockey teams wore saffron kits in their Asian Games opening matches.
The men's team faced Indonesia, while the women's team played Uzbekistan in Kakamilgahara, Japan.
Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey had said blue would be the primary kit and orange the second choice.
Tirkey and secretary Bhola Nath Singh reportedly held opposing positions over the kit decision.
A Hockey India source said the kits included saffron and white-and-sky-blue combinations, partly because blue can be difficult to see on blue turf.
- Who
- India's men's and women's hockey teams, Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey, and secretary Bhola Nath Singh.
- What
- Both Indian teams wore saffron kits in their opening Asian Games matches despite an earlier assurance that blue would be the primary kit.
- When
- Sunday, September 20, according to the report.
- Where
- Kakamilgahara, Japan.
- Why
- A Hockey India source said the kit choices were linked partly to visibility problems when blue jerseys are used on blue turf.
Dilip Tirkey's Position
Hockey India Source's Position
Primary kit color
Dilip Tirkey's Position
Tirkey said Hockey India had selected blue as the primary kit for the Asian Games, with orange as the second option.
Hockey India Source's Position
The Hockey India source said the Asian Games kits were always planned to use saffron and a white-and-sky-blue combination.
Approval of the change
Dilip Tirkey's Position
Tirkey had said the saffron change during the World Cup was made without the knowledge or approval of Hockey India's elected leadership and Executive Board.
Hockey India Source's Position
The source said the kit plan had been approved by Tirkey himself.
Reason for different colors
Dilip Tirkey's Position
Tirkey's pre-Asian Games statement emphasized a return to the traditional blue kit.
Hockey India Source's Position
The source cited visibility concerns, saying blue jerseys can be difficult to distinguish against a blue playing surface.
- Men's opening match
- India wore saffron against Indonesia.
- Women's opening match
- India wore saffron against Uzbekistan.
- President's stated kit plan
- Dilip Tirkey said blue was the first choice and orange the second choice.
- Reported kit combination
- A Hockey India source said the Asian Games kits included saffron and white with sky blue.
- Previous controversy
- The teams had also worn saffron during the previous month's World Cup in Belgium and the Netherlands.
- Traditional color
- India's hockey teams have largely worn blue since the country's Olympic debut in 1928.
