Four years after being brought in to help Neeraj Chopra and other Indian javelin throwers, former world record-holder Uwe Hohn's stint with Indian athletics has come to an end.
Following their two-day executive council meeting, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) said Hohn is being “sent home” after his contract ended in August of 2021.
“We are changing Uwe Hohn. His performance is not good. We will bring two (new) coaches," said AFI president Adille Sumariwalla.
Hohn has coached Neeraj Chopra, along with other Indian javelin throwers, at the NIS centre in Patiala from 25 October 2017. In 2019 though, he had differences with Neeraj's medical team about the decision to operate on his shoulder and after his surgery, the AFI provided Neeraj with a personal coach- biomechanical expert Dr Klaus Bartonietz who helped guide Neeraj to his gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Dr Klaus' contract is being extended.
Hohn, a former javelin world record-holder, was instrumental in helping shape Neeraj's early career after his Under-20 World Championship gold in 2016. He was also Neeraj's coach during his successful run in 2018 when he won the Asian and the Commonwealth Games gold medals.
Since 2019 though, as Neeraj started to work exclusively with Dr Klaus, Hohn focussed on the other top Indian javelin throwers Shivpal Singh and Annu Rani at the NIS in Patiala. The pair failed to reach the final of the Tokyo Olympics and the AFI have singled out Hohn as the cause.
“It is very simple. Shivpal and Annu were with Uwe Hohn. Uwe Hohn is being sent home. We are also looking for a foreign coach for Toor,” the AFI president said when asked about their below par poor performance.
In May, Hohn had slammed the Athletics Federation of India and also the Sports Authority of India for their "lack of knowledge or ignorance".
“When I came here, I thought I could change something but it’s probably too difficult with these people at SAI or AFI. I don’t know if it’s lack of knowledge or ignorance. Beside camps or competitions, even when we ask via our nutritionist for supplements for our athletes, we don’t get the right stuff. Not even for TOPS (Target Olympic Podium Scheme) athletes – medal contenders handpicked by the Sports Ministry. If we get something, we are very happy," he had told Indian Express.
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