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Straits Times
24-06-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Singapore's Olympic hockey goalkeeper Anwarul Haque dies at 85
Born in Singapore in 1939 as the eldest of seven children, Anwarul grew to become a colossal figure in hockey. SINGAPORE – Once hailed as the world's best goalkeeper by then-International Hockey Federation technical committee chairman Colonel A. S. Dara, Singapore's Anwarul Haque died on June 24 at the age of 85. He is survived by his wife Rita Minjoot and their three sons Shezad, Tariq and Kamil. Born in Singapore in 1939 as the eldest of seven children, Anwarul grew to become a colossal figure in hockey. His international hockey career began in 1956 when he was a junior to the Singapore team that played at the Melbourne 1956 Olympics. He would become a full international a year later and went to the Tokyo 1964 Olympics as one of four Singaporeans, alongside Douglas Paul Nonis, Kanalingam Sinnathamby and Kartar Singh, who were selected for the Malaysian hockey team who finished ninth out of 15 teams. He played for Singapore at the 1962 and 1970 Asian Games where they finished fifth in both editions, and helped the Republic to a silver medal at the 1971 South-east Asian Peninsular (SEAP) Games, the predecessor of the SEA Games. Anwarul featured in The Straits Times' list of Singapore sporting greats in 1999. Coming in at 36th, he was described as 'the Peter Schmeichel of hockey' in reference to the legendary Danish and Manchester United football goalkeeper. In a 2004 ST story, former journalist Jeffrey Low called him 'Singapore's greatest and bravest hockey goalkeeper'. Anwarul summed up his own fearless mentality when he said in an ST interview in 1993: 'I've stopped hockey sticks with my face. My friends still remind me how I once headed the ball away. I didn't know the meaning of fear when I was in goal.' He was also an outstanding personality off the pitch. After graduating with a law degree from the University of Singapore with honours, he would go on to become a magistrate, district judge and deputy director of the Legal Aid Bureau following his international retirement in 1971. But hockey was never far from his heart as he served on the Singapore Hockey Federation (SHF) management committee, and was president from 1985 to 1992. Former national goalkeeper Anwarul Haque (top row, third from left) attends the opening of the newly renovated ActiveSG Hockey Village at Boon Lay in 2019, along with then Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies Tharman Shanmugaratnam. PHOTO: SPORT SINGAPORE SHF president Mathavan Devadas said: 'Anwarul Haque was a pillar of the hockey community for many years. From representing Singapore, playing in the Olympics and then leading the SHF, he was always a gentleman and a fine sportsman. He will be dearly missed by the hockey community.' Besides his goalkeeping helmet, Anwarul also wore many hats in the sporting community. A strong advocate for gender equality, he was on the Singapore Cricket Club general committee when the SCC gave voting rights to women in 1996 for the first time in 144 years. As SCC president from 2001 to 2008, he also witnessed Margaret Cunico become the first woman to be elected to its general committee in 2004, and the opening up of its Men's Bar and Billiards Room to women in 2007. Anwarul said then: 'We are very alive to what is happening in Singapore today. The Constitution of Singapore recognises women as equal to men. We have women Members of Parliament and women judges; how long could we have gone on being a men's stronghold? 'Times have changed. I had fought for women to be more active in this club since the day I became a general committee member. 'Women in this club have done a great job organising many events, and helping out whenever they were called upon. Margaret's election will see the women's brigade playing a bigger role in the future.' In 2009, Anwarul became one of six executive committee members of the inaugural Singapore Olympians Association, the inspirational arm of the Singapore National Olympic Council created to mentor all athletes who are or have been Olympians. David Lee is senior sports correspondent at The Straits Times focusing on aquatics, badminton, basketball, cue sports, football and table tennis. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Hindu
20-06-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
50% of hockey ground construction completed in Coimbatore
Construction of an international-standard hockey ground in Coimbatore has reached the halfway mark, with several key facilities nearing completion. Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin laid the foundation for the facility on April 27, 2025. It is being developed on a 7.02-acre site at the Corporation Higher Secondary School ground in R.S. Puram at an estimated cost of ₹9.67 crore. International specifications According to the Coimbatore Corporation, the ground is designed to meet international specifications. It will feature International Hockey Federation (FIH)-certified synthetic turf laid over 6,500 square metres, a dressing room spanning 147 square metres, six stadium mast lights, and a six-unit pop-up sprinkler system. A project official said, 'The initial phase of work includes installation of the turf, lighting, fencing, sprinkler system, and supporting infrastructure. The six pop-up sprinkler units have been installed and tested. Milling of the turf area is complete, and bituminous (BT) surfacing is under way, over which the synthetic turf will be laid. Fencing is in progress around the turf area, covering a length of 350 metres.' Two dugouts are also being constructed as part of the initial phase. Each of the six stadium mast light poles will stand 17 metres tall and will be fitted with 20 LED lights of 500 watts each. Construction of the dressing room, toilets, and a water tank is ongoing and is expected to be completed within a month, the official added. Future proposals include a spectator gallery with a seating capacity of 1,700, a conference hall, dining facility for players, a gymnasium, rest rooms, office spaces, and parking facilities for 114 cars and 208 two-wheelers.
