Olympian Manuel Frederick, a revered figure who inspired India’s hockey aspirations and secured Kerala’s inaugural Olympic medal, passed away on Friday, October 31, 2025, in a Bengaluru hospital. He had been courageously battling stage four cancer.
Originally from Kannur, the 78-year-old hockey maestro had made Bengaluru his home for decades. As a vital part of India’s bronze medal-winning team at the 1972 Munich Olympics, Frederick etched his name in history as the first Malayali to achieve an Olympic medal. His extraordinary quickness and fearless style as a goalkeeper earned him affectionate nicknames like “The Ghost” and “Tiger” among his admirers.
Despite his phenomenal goalkeeping, which saw India concede minimal goals in six matches during the Munich Games, Frederick was notably bypassed for the Arjuna award. It was almost five decades later, in 2019, after eight prior rejections, that his significant contributions were finally acknowledged with the prestigious Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. He was also repeatedly overlooked for the Padmashri, despite a decade of applications.
Frederick’s extraordinary legacy stands unparalleled in Kerala’s Olympic annals. He secured one of the state’s three Olympic medals, with the other two belonging to fellow hockey goalkeeper P.R. Sreejesh, who clinched bronze at both the 2021 Tokyo and 2024 Paris Olympics.
Throughout his distinguished eight-year international career, Frederick proudly represented India in one Olympic Games, two World Cups, and a host of other tournaments. His achievements include a silver medal at the 1973 World Cup in the Netherlands, a fourth-place finish in the 1978 Argentina World Cup, and triumphs in eight additional international competitions.
Following his education in Kannur, Frederick enlisted in the Indian Army in 1965 via the Army Sports Control Board, subsequently showcasing his talents for the armed forces team, Mohun Bagan, and Bombay.
During an era when protective gear was scarce, Frederick fearlessly defended the goalpost with little more than raw instinct and unwavering courage. His steadfast philosophy, as recounted by close friend and sports commentator V. Devdas, was clear: “If a defender makes a mistake, another can cover, but if a goalkeeper errors, it’s a goal, and if a goalkeeper leaves more than two goals, he is not fit to be a goalkeeper.”
“Despite being the first Malayali to bring home an Olympic medal, the state government failed to grant him fitting recognition, whether through the highest state honors or by naming a sporting ground in his honor,” expressed Mr. Devdas.
Even in retirement, Mr. Devdas noted, Frederick’s dedication to hockey never wavered. He continued to coach young talents in Bengaluru, navigating financial challenges with support from his military and sports pensions. Although he received a land allotment in Payyambalam, Kannur, in 2007, it wasn’t until 2019 that a house was finally constructed for him, thanks to the efforts of then-Sports Minister E.P. Jayarajan.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan conveyed his profound condolences, acknowledging Manuel Frederick as one of the world’s finest goalkeepers during the era from 1971-78, when helmets were not yet standard. The Chief Minister stated that Frederick brought immense pride to both the state and the nation, and extended his shared grief to Frederick’s family and the entire sports community.
His family announced that his final rites and burial will take place in Bengaluru on Saturday, October 1, 2025.