Javelin coach Uwe Hohn on his way out as his contract ends: sources

The
59-year-old
German
was
appointed
as
chief
coach
in
November
2017
for
one
year
to
train
the
likes
of
Olympic
champion
javelin
thrower
Neeraj
Chopa,
other
Tokyo
Olympians
Shivpal
Singh
and
Annu
Rani.

“He
(Hohn)
is
on
way
out.
His
contract
is
unlikely
to
be
extended
by
SAI
(Sports
Authority
of
India),”
a
source
privy
to
the
development
told
PTI
on
conditions
of
anonymity.

It
is
learnt
that
Hohn,
whose
104.80m
throw
in
1984
led
to
change
in
javelin
design
in
1986
and
restarting
of
world
records,
had
demanded
50
per
cent
hike
in
his
salary,
which
is
to
be
tax-free,
besides
first
class
air
tickets.
His
original
contract
was
worth
Rs
1.09
crore
a
year,
plus
boarding,
lodging,
medical
facilities
and
leave
travel.

He
wanted
to
increase
it
to
Rs
1.64
crore
a
year
when
the
contract
was
up
for
renewal
in
October
2020.
“SAI
in
2020
had
informed
him
that
his
demands
were
unreasonable
and
unacceptable
since
the
result
of
the
throwers
he
was
training
did
not
warrant
an
increase
of
Rs
55
lakh,”
sources
in
the
SAI
said.

SAI
had
also
pointed
out
that
it
had
appointed
another
foreign
javelin
throw
coach,
bio-mechanics
expert
Dr
Klaus
Bartonietz
at
considerable
expense
on
the
recommendation
of
Athletics
Federation
of
India.
Hohn
was
with
Chopra
for
around
a
year
from
the
time
of
his
appointment
till
the
2018
Asian
Games.

The
AFI
has
made
it
clear
that
it
was
the
choice
of
Chopra
to
leave
Hohn
and
train
with
Klaus.
Chopra
himself
said
that
though
he
respects
Hohn,
the
German’s
training
methods
and
technical
approach
was
not
to
his
liking.

“I
respect
Hohn
sir,
I
won
gold
in
2018
Asian
Games
and
Commonwealth
Games
under
him.
But
his
technical
approach
and
style
of
training
was
different.
I
told
him
that
I
want
to
work
with
Klaus
sir,”
Chopra
said
on
Tuesday
at
the
felicitation
function
organised
by
the
AFI
on
his
historic
Olympic
gold-winning
feat.

“His
(Klaus’)
training
plans
were
good
and
suited
me.
He
plans
training
according
to
the
body
of
the
athlete,
he
has
also
worked
with
a
lot
of
athletes
in
different
countries.”

Sources
said
Hohn
had
decided
to
renew
the
contract
in
October
2020
at
existing
terms
and
was
training
Shivpal,
who
failed
to
qualify
for
the
finals
with
a
below-par
best
throw
of
76.40m.
Rani,
who
also
flopped
in
the
Tokyo
Olympics,
refused
to
train
with
Hohn.

Hohn’s
outburst
regarding
the
lack
of
facilities
at
the
national
camp
a
month
prior
to
the
Olympics
also
didn’t
go
down
well
with
both
AFI
and
SAI.