Delhi HC directs ex-coach of Hockey to restrain from publishing material against Manpreet Singh

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday restrained former Indian Hockey Team coach Sjoerd Marjine from giving any interview and issuance of any statement in connection with an allegation he had levelled against Indian field hockey team captain Manpreet Singh.

The court also restrained Coach and Publisher from publishing an excerpt of his upcoming book titled 'Will Power' where he has made allegations against Manpreet Singh. The coach has recently accused Manpreet of asking young players to underperform during the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Hockey Player Manpreet Singh alleges that an excerpt of the book was leaked to a prominent daily Newspaper.

The HC also allowed the lawyers of Manpreet Singh to write to the media house to take down the article already published.
The Bench of Justice Amit Bansal, while hearing the suit filed by Manpreet Singh, also directed former Coach of India hockey team, Sjoerd Marjine and Harpercollins Publisher not to publish excerpts of his upcoming book where he is making allegations against Singh.

Indian men's and women's hockey teams in a recent joint statement, clearly stated that Marijne levelled these accusations against Manpreet Singh to publicise his book. Hockey India also stated that Marijne reported no such incident to either Hockey India or the Sports Authority of India during his tenure.

On Tuesday, a division bench of the Delhi High Court restrained the publisher and author of the book titled 'Will Power' from publishing any content related to a medical condition and related material of Indian hockey player Gurjit Kaur.

Hockey India player Gurjit Kaur or the plaintiff had challenged the single bench order which had refused to stay the launch of a book titled 'Will Power' having confidential information related to her medical condition.

'Will Power' is authored by Sjoerd Marijne, former coach of the Indian women's hockey team.
The Division Bench of Justice Siddharth Mridul and Justice Amit Sharma on Monday while ordering to restrain the author and publisher about medical material of the plaintiff also said that as the coach of the national team hockey, the coach/author is clearly and unequivocally bound by the code of conduct which evidently precludes them from disclosing or divulging the said information to third parties. (ANI)