The Indian Women’s hockey team has named Dutchman Sjoerd Marijne as the new head coach. The announcement was made on Friday, January 2, 2026, after Harendra Singh decided to resign from his role on case of harassment and ineffective training of players. As per reports, he will remain under contract until the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Marijne will be joined by analytical coach Matias Vila and Head of Athletic Performance and Scientific Advisor Wayne Lombard. Meanwhile, South African Scientific Advisors Rodet Yila and Ciara Yila will assist Lombard.
Earlier, Marijne led the Indian team to a fourth-place finish in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. The Dutchman is expected to arrive on January 14 and will be seen in immediate action for the preparatory camp from January 19. In three months, he also has to prepare the team for the Women’s Hockey World Cup qualifiers scheduled from March 8 to 14 in Hyderabad.
Under Harendra, India women’s hockey team were under poor conditions. The team finished last in the Pro League, which eventually demoted them to the second tier in the FIH Nations Cup. They are also currently in danger of losing their chance in the World Cup qualification.
Following his appointment, Marijne released a post on his X account and expressed his excitement about returning to India.
His X post read, “It’s great to be back. After four-and-a-half years, I return with fresh energy and a clear vision to support the team’s growth and help the players achieve their full potential on the world stage.”
Marijne joined Indian hockey back in 2017, becoming the women’s team coach, followed by the men’s team the same year. He, however, returned to the women’s team in 2018 and helped the team’s lead to the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. He, together with Lombard, has massively contributed to the growth and the increase in the standard of the women’s hockey team in India.
Before him, the Indian women’s team could not face the top teams, but through Marijne’s help and contributions, the team transformed through high fitness levels and were trained under international supervision that led them to give their best in matches.
Meanwhile, the Indian women’s hockey team is also looking to fill the spot of their junior coach, Tushar Khandker. Reportedly, he took an exit after getting accused of sexual, mental, and physical misconduct against players. His replacement will be done following the approval given by the Sports Authority of India (SAI).
