The FIH has made an investigation faster than it changes rules and the one it sent today to media pertaining to Pakistan players’ indecent behaviour must rank simply casual.
Pakistan players led by its captain Mohd Imran insulted the crowd, who paid for being there, with obscene gestures for prolonged spells.
Shortly after the press meet involving Pak coach and Captain turned ugly, and the duo walked out, media was informed of FIH’s effort to conduct an investigation on its own.
The international governing of field hockey, Federation Internationale de Hockey, will investigate the behaviour of Pakistan players and take appropriate action.
Ken Read, the FIH representative of the tournament said: “FIH is concerned about the incidents after the match between India and Pakistan, and has asked Tournament Director Wiet Doyer to investigate. The investigation will be over by tomorrow”.
However, within an hour the following Investigative report has come. It is reproduced verbatim.
“The celebration of the Pakistani team contained some behaviour that warranted further investigation by me as Tournament Director. As a result I have spoken to the Head Coach of the Pakistan team, Mr. Shahnaz Sheikh and told him that the behaviour of Pakistan players went beyond what is acceptable to standards of the FIH.” .
“The behaviour in question concerned many members of the Pakistan team. It is difficult to find any particular miscreant, and it is possible that the behaviour of the players may have been a reaction. Shahnaz Sheikh has apologised and assured me that this behaviour will not occur again. Given these matters, I’ve decided that no further action is warranted.”
VIEW: The TD seemed to have accepted the apology by Pak coach though it should have come from Manager. Secondly, the conclusion not to suggest any further action is casual and escapist in nature.
The investigation hinges on the view that the Pak players’ behaviour is because of ‘Reaction’.
There is a code of conduct for players, not for crowd. Crowd is controlled by keeping them at distance, posting police and preventing materials to stands.
But if the players instigate themselves and indulge in obscene free, on whatever provocation of crowd (even if it is true) the code of conduct should come into force.
TD finds it difficult to find individual miscreant, but can spend sometime and see the video for himself to find out the culprit and suggest punishment.
He has not done that, but washed hands on technical grounds.
If he cannot find right miscreant, how can it say, or believe, Pak players behaviour is ‘reaction’. Its one-sided and premature judgemehnt. Does he have the video evidence for that?
Hope Hockey India is aware of what’s going on.
India v Pakistan match played in India is an epic which gets unprecedented viewership in comparison to any other Hockey game. Such a scene, shames the game in front of millions.
The punishment for the perpetrators has to be strong enough to dissuade anyone to bring disrepute to the game.
The onus is on the Governing Body is take it up and to do the needful. From any angle, a ‘reaction’ like this can’t go unpunished.