MEDIA WATCH

Recently, a player turned administrator, Gurbux Singh, observed the following points in his monthly column in a leading daily. We thought of replying some of the point that this gentleman has been espousing more than 25 years – which he again repeated in the column now. It is high time wrong notions are reputed for the clarity of the subject.

Gurbux SinghThe decline of hockey in the country, for me, began in 1976 because that was the year astroturf was introduced. India, champions by far in field hockey, found it difficult to adjust to the new turf. We could no longer compete with the teams from the west who had the infrastructure and money to ensure they stayed at the cutting edge of hockey.

s2h CommentIf he really believe so, India should give up hockey, not to waste public money any longer. (For heaven’s sake don’t call astroturf unless that brand is being discussed. Why can’t you say synthetic turf, which is correct. Kindly bear in mind India was never Champions after 1964. For the 1976 Olympics, Germany was the defending champions which perhaps proves we were not champions prior to 76 also.

Gurbux SinghThe government has failed to provide infrastructure and training facilities. We need close to 40 astroturf surfaces so that the game can be developed at the grassroots level.

s2h CommentPlease get the facts correct first. There are 47 turfs available in India. They are grossly under-utilized. Hockey is dying because the State associations have become moribund, exceptions to this are few and far between. Even in Bengal there is no hockey except two three localities. Why can’t you say IHF failed to provide infrastructure, is it because you are always part of IHF?

Gurbux Singh
It’s true hockey can’t compete with cricket but the game generates substantial interest in the region. This because I’ve seen a crowd of 40000-50000 attending hockey tournaments in India whereas in Europe a turnout of 10,000 is considered huge.

s2h CommentEntrée is free in India, it is ticketed in Europe. Then if you compare the population of each Europe and where this gentleman found 40-50 thousand crowd, then what we have is pittance.

Gurbux Singh
A few days back the Bengal Hockey Association (BHA) was informed by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) that the National Championship would be played from December 20 to January 4. The Beighton Cup was forced to be postponed. BHA agreed and shifted the Beighton Cup to a December 30-January 14/15 slot.

s2h Comment Yes, correct. The Ad-hoc Committee needed to have organized the National, which is wrong. Now the question to the player-turned coloumnist. You have been part of every IHF that has come in the past 30 years. Why can’t you reason with them to have Nationals in the past also?

Gurbux Singh
This (going away of Els van Breda Vriesman) should be good news for us as the outgoing president had caused much damage by meddling in our affairs.

s2h CommentIf some body wants to reason, and help you improve your game, is it called ‘Meddling’

Note: TNHA has been dissolved and the Tamil Nadu Olympic Committee has formed an Ad-hoc Committee to run the State’s hockey affairs. Yet, this gentleman accepts a team from the Jothikumaran faction, proving the fact most of the former players support KPS Gill and Jothi regime.

Note2:A television channel (NDTV) ran a 10-minute program how the Punjab Police team had to stay in an unclean accommodation and the team’s protests that made the Beighton Cup in the media for all the wrong reasons. We were told this Bengal Hockey Association has been receiving generous grants from its president JB Roy, who had pitched in to become President of the IHF. Why does then such thing happen? This former player, who is also organizing secretary of the tournament, it seems, cares more of Gills and Jothis rather than his own ilk players!