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Olympian Manuel Frederick, who gave wings to India’s hockey dreams and brought Kerala its archetypal Olympic medal, passed distant connected Friday (October 31, 2025) greeting astatine a backstage infirmary successful Bengaluru. He was battling cancer, which had reached its 4th stage.
Born and raised successful Kannur, 78-year-old Manuel Frederick had been residing successful Bengaluru for galore years. A subordinate of India’s bronze medal-winning hockey squad astatine the 1972 Munich Olympics, helium was the archetypal Malayali to triumph an Olympic medal. Known for his lightning-fast reflexes and assertive arsenic a goalkeeper, helium was fondly called “The Ghost”, ‘Tiger’ by his fans.
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Despite his stellar performance, India conceded lone goals successful six matches successful Munich- Frederick was overlooked for the Arjuna grant astatine the time. It took astir 5 decades for ceremonial recognition, erstwhile helium was honoured with the Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award successful 2019 aft 8 erstwhile rejections. He was besides overlooked for Padmashri adjacent aft applying for past 10 years.
Frederick’s bequest remains unmatched successful Kerala’s Olympic history. Of the State’s 3 Olympic medals, 1 was won by him and the different 2 by P.R. Sreejesh, besides a hockey goalkeeper astatine the 2021 Tokyo and 2024 Paris Olympics, some bronze medals.
Over his eight-year planetary career, Frederick represented India successful 1 Olympics, 2 World Cups, and respective tournaments, securing a metallic medal successful the 1973 World Cup successful the Netherlands, a fourth-place decorativeness successful the 1978 Argentina World Cup, and victories successful 8 different planetary competitions.
After completing schooling successful Kannur, Frederick joined the Indian Army successful 1965 done the Army Sports Control Board and went connected to play for the service, Mohun Bagan, and Bombay.
In an epoch earlier protective cogwheel became common, Frederick guarded the goalpost with minimal equipment, relying purely connected instinct and courage. His doctrine was simple: “If a defender makes a mistake, different tin cover, but if a goalkeeper errors, it’s a goal, and if a goalkeeper leaves much than 2 goals, helium is not acceptable to beryllium a goalkeeper,” recalls sports commentator and adjacent person V. Devdas.
“Despite being the archetypal Malayali to triumph a medal successful the Olympics, the State authorities did not springiness him owed designation by giving the highest honour oregon naming a crushed successful his name,” Mr. Devdas said.
Mr. Devadas said adjacent aft retirement, helium remained devoted to the sport, coaching young players successful Bengaluru contempt fiscal hardships, supported by his subject and sports pensions. Though helium was allotted onshore successful Payyambalam, Kannur, successful 2007, a location was built for him lone successful 2019 done the inaugural of past Sport Minister E.P. Jayarajan.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, expressing his condolences, said that Manuel Frederick was 1 of the champion goalkeepers successful the satellite during the helmetless play of 1971-78. He brought laurel to the State and the country, and helium shares the grief of his demise with his household members and sports enthusiasts.
His household informed that the mortal remains volition beryllium buried successful Bengaluru connected Saturday (October 1, 2025).
