SportsPosted at: Nov 11 2026 6:31PM


Somaya thanks Bengaluru Police after recovery of 1980 Olympic medal

New Delhi, Nov 11 (UNI) Former India hockey captain M M Somaya has expressed relief and gratitude to the Bengaluru Police after they recovered his stolen belongings, including the gold medal he won at the 1980 Moscow Olympics. The veteran hockey player said getting back the medals felt like winning them all over again.
Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh confirmed on Wednesday that all the stolen items had been recovered and two persons arrested in connection with the burglary. The recovered belongings include eight medals, a camera, a Kodagu dagger and an Olympic kit bag. Police also seized the two-wheeler allegedly used by the accused to commit the crime.
Somaya thanked the police for their efforts in tracing the valuables, many of which hold memories of his playing days.
“I am extremely happy and grateful to the Bengaluru Police for working really hard and recovering all the valuables stolen from my residence,” Somaya said.
Explaining why the medals meant so much to him, Somaya said they represented years of dedication at a time when hockey offered little financial incentive to players. He pointed out that the sport was still amateur during his playing career, making medals the most significant form of recognition for their achievements.
“It feels like I have won the medals all over again. The medals are the result of many years of hard work. There were no monetary rewards back then. Hockey was an amateur sport. The medals were the only recognition, so they are very special to me, especially the Olympic gold," he said.
The burglary took place at Somaya's residence on October 28, and the articles were recovered from several locations. During the search operation, police recovered two of the stolen medals from Rajajinagar, while the remaining six were traced to Hoskote. The other missing articles, including the camera, Kodagu dagger and Olympic kit bag, were also recovered from Hoskote.
The medals recovered include Somaya's gold from the 1980 Moscow Olympics, a silver from the 1982 Asian Games and bronze medals from the 1986 Asian Games in Seoul and the 1982 Champions Trophy in Amsterdam.
The remaining collection comprises a gold medal from the Loiano tournament in Italy, participation medals from the 1984 Los Angeles and 1988 Seoul Olympics, and a silver medal presented during celebrations marking the 300th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh.UNI TB AAB
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