Hockey icon Drummond-de Goede very surprised by decision of national coach Van Ass | Sports Other

“The decision came as a shock to me,” Drummond-de Goede said on Wednesday NOS. “I felt fit and good, so I didn’t see this coming. That makes the disappointment even greater.”

According to Van Ass, the 35-year-old veteran is no longer good enough for the Dutch team. “The explanation was that the future does not belong to me. Paul also said that I am not good enough at the moment, that I am not among his first sixteen players. I have to accept it,” said Drummond-de Goede.

“I think I still add value to the team. But if he sees it differently, I have to accept that,” the 266-time international continued. Despite the disappointment, Drummond-de Goede is happy that Van Ass has already made the decision.

The HGC hockey player has an impressive list of honors in the Dutch team and has won Olympic gold three times (2008, 2012 and 2021). In 2018 and 2019 she was named world hockey player of the year.

“It is of course a dream to participate in another Olympic Games. I am now a veteran. I wanted to go for it one more time.”

Just like Lidewij Welten, who was passed by Van Ass in January, Drummond-de Goede would participate in her fifth Games in Paris. In a fourth gold medal, the duo had equaled Fanny Blankers-Koen, Leontien van Moorsel and Inge de Bruijn.

Margot van Geffen (265 international matches) was also passed by Van Ass on Tuesday. The 34-year-old hockey player from Tilburg has not yet responded to the national coach’s decision.