New Delhi: Rajinder Singh was today (July 19 2004) sacked as the chief coach of the Indian hockey team.

Gerhard Rach of Germany has taken over as the chief coach with immediate effect, Indian Hockey Federation sources told reporters from Germany, where the team is preparing for the next month's Athens Olympics.

The decision to remove Rajinder from the post was taken by the IHF president K P S Gill after consultations with the selectors and panel of coaches.

While Rach, who was serving as assistant to Rajinder, has been elevated, Oliver Kurtz and Jagbeer Singh will continue to be assistant coach, sources added.