India’s men’s and women’s hockey teams wear saffron jerseys in their opening matches at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, despite statements by Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey that the teams would wear blue. According to reports, the initial plan and assurances pointed to blue as the first-choice colour, with an alternate option also discussed.
Multiple outlets describe a renewed jersey controversy, including disputes over internal decision-making within Hockey India after the teams’ kit colour changed ahead of the Games. The reports add that the Asian Games kits are described as featuring saffron along with a white-and-sky-blue combination, and that coordination with sponsors and team travel schedules complicated last-minute changes.
While outlets largely agree on the central facts—that Tirkey had promised blue and the teams instead wore saffron—coverage differs on the emphasis. Some accounts highlight the internal controversy and disagreements over who approved the final kit choice, while others focus on practical reasons cited for the change, such as visibility of jerseys against the playing surface.
