#3 Olympic Games 1980
Trending
A tumultuous period followed the debacle of the 1976 Montreal Olympics for the Indian hockey team. India sent a relatively young side for the Moscow Olympics in 1980, but the team showed their talent as they went on to win the gold medal after a gap of 16 years.
The U.S-led boycott over the Russian presence in Afghanistan marred the Games as six of the strongest hockey sides— New Zealand, Australia and Pakistan, West Germany and Holland — withdrew from the Olympics. Thus it was expected of India to bring home the gold medal.
In the final, the Indians overcame the Spanish challenge and eventually won 4-3. However, not many give much significance to this triumph as India did not have to face the tougher opponents. Yet, the victory helped to halt the downward slide of Indian hockey and restored a modicum of respectability to the sport.
