Paris Olympics 2024: Who Is ‘Chak De India’ Actor Who Played Australia’s Coach In Shah Rukh Khan Movie Wrote Amit Rohidas’ Suspension Letter

New Delhi: Indian defender Amit Rohidas was handed a red card during India’s men’s hockey quarterfinal clash against Britain after his stick unintentionally struck a rival player’s face. Despite Hockey India’s fervent appeal, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) upheld the controversial red card, suspending Amit for the pivotal semi-final against Germany. This decision ignited a wave of outrage among Indian fans and officials.

It has now emerged that Amit’s suspension letter was authored by none other than Joshua Burt, the actor who played the coach of the Australian women’s hockey team in the iconic Indian film ‘Chak De India’. In the movie, Burt’s character famously suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of the Indian women’s hockey team.

Born in Melbourne, Joshua Burt is an ardent hockey enthusiast who has made significant contributions to the sport off-screen as well. He has coached, managed, and officiated at an elite level, having been part of the officiating teams at both the Rio and Tokyo Olympics. Currently, he is serving as a technical delegate for FIH at the Paris Olympics.

“Amit Rohidas was suspended for one match for a breach of the FIH Code of Conduct which occurred during the India vs Great Britain match on August 4,” the statement, authored by Burt, read.

“The suspension affects match No. 35 (India’s semi-final match against Germany), where Amit Rohidas will not participate and India will play with a squad of 15 players only.”

Despite the early setback – with over 40 minutes remaining in the match when Amit was shown the red card – India managed to force a penalty shootout against Great Britain, eventually securing a 4-2 victory. The team will now face Germany for a place in the men’s hockey final, aiming to win a second consecutive Olympic medal after securing bronze in Tokyo 2020.

Harmanpreet and his team are not only aiming to improve the color of their Tokyo medal but also wish to give a fitting farewell to their legendary goalkeeper, PR Sreejesh, who announced that the Paris Games would be his last international tournament.