Frustrated coach denies after sending resignation letter, but Indian hockey officials not keen on keeping him

Hyderabad, July 11: Indian hockey’s great revival dream under Ric Charlesworth is clearly headed for a premature end, even as confusion reigned on Friday over the Australian advisor’s resignation with the story veering around two letters and a denial.

While the sports ministry officials and members of the ad-hoc committee formed by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) confirmed that Charlesworth had indeed quit, the man himself refuted reports that he had packed his bags and headed to Australia for good. Talking to The Indian Express from Melbourne, he said: “I’ve no idea and I don’t know what to say. I have come to Australia for a personal and very important dinner (as a member of the Sports Australia Hall of Fame) and to see my mother. I always made it clear that I was to return to India on the 26th, and I will be returning. Things are difficult… you know how things work in India. But the sports ministry and all other officials concerned know what the exact situation is, so I don’t know what the confusion is about,” Charlesworth said, adding that the reports in India “sure aren’t coming from me”.

“I guess I will have to put up an official statement to clear all the rumours. Also, there is nothing clear on who is handling what, I don’t know who is running the game in the country, who I report to — things are very unclear,” he added.

Charlesworth’s frustration, which had been clear for several weeks, had led him to write a couple of letters to the powers that be in Indian hockey. The first was addressed to RK Naidu, Sports Authority of India’s (SAI) executive director (team wings), and stated: “I have attached my resignation as I do not believe in continuing in an environment where there is no support. I cannot see how anything more can be achieved in my present position.”

In the second letter — his official resignation note (box, right) — Charlesworth spoke in detail about the problems he faced in India and about how he always knew that “India would be difficult… I just did not believe it could be this difficult.” One of Charlesworth’s key concerns was the lack of payment still due to him from India, as had been first reported by The Indian Express on June 20.

But, when asked specifically whether he has put in his papers and bid farewell to India, Charlesworth said on Friday there had been no decision as yet. Perhaps a change of heart over the last fortnight.

It is clear, however, that Indian hockey officials are more than happy to see Charlesworth go. While IOA officials repeatedly referred to the letter of resignation when asked about Charlesworth’s status, not willing to entertain the possibility of a change of heart on the Australian’s part, selection committee chairman Aslam Sher Khan said the call to take was not whether Charlesworth was ready to stay in India but whether India was ready for him. “Ric wants a completely professional set-up in Indian hockey and has a long-term plan. But more than him making us world champions, we have to decide whether we are ready to be world champions,” Aslam said.

There is, however, the problem of the World Cup that will have to be addressed if Charlesworth does indeed leave. An international hockey federation (FIH) delegation, led by president Els Van Brieda Vriesman, arrives for a meeting to finally decide on the venue for the 2010 World Cup — provisionally allotted to India. In case things don’t work out with Charlesworth, India’s hosting the tournament could be in danger. The Malaysian Hockey Federation has already bid to host the tournament and and has strong credentials after hosting the Champions Trophy last year. In such a scenario, any failure on the part of Indian authorities to sort out the mess that is Indian hockey could well mean missing out on the World Cup.