High Performance Director Roelant Oltmans was today appointed coach of the Indian hockey team. He replaces Paul van Ass, who was unceremoniously sacked after a bitter spat with Hockey India President Narinder Batra. The 61-year-old Dutchman, who has been associated with Indian hockey for close to three years now, will be at the helm of affairs at least till next year's Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. The decision to appoint Oltmans was taken at a meeting between Sports Authority of India's Director General Injeti Srinivas and Batra. Batra told reporters after the meeting that Van Ass' ouster was a disappointing chapter but it was important for Indian hockey to move ahead. Earlier on Friday, a nine-member committee headed by Olympian Harbinder Singh, formed to decide Van Ass' future, recommended that the Dutchman be removed.