HI threatens to pick new World Cup squad, Gill asks players to return, promises ‘fair deal’

The meeting between India’s national hockey team and administrators failed today, following which Hockey India (HI) gave the players 48 hours to return to practice, at the end of which it would select a fresh 22-member squad for the World Cup beginning February 28.

The meeting at the athletics stadium of the Balewadi Sports Complex was followed by separate press conferences, with each side accusing the other of being rigid and insensitive.

The players, who stopped training Friday demanding a regular stipend and incentives for their performances last year, complained HI had not come up with a better offer than the one discussed — and rejected — in Delhi earlier. The HI offer of a Rs-25,000 incentive is a joke, striker Prabhjot Singh said. He added that HI had said it didn’t have the resources to pay more, following which the players had suggested alternatives, but the officials were not willing to listen.

“We asked them to arrange a meeting between us and title sponsors Sahara so we would know exactly how much money is on offer from them, but the federation officials refused. We then asked them to give us written assurances of payment, but they turned that down as well. Since we are back to square one, we have made the decision not to train,” he said.

An attempt by HI officials to break the team by speaking to players individually failed. All 22 players lined up for the media briefing together.

Goalkeeper Adrian D’Souza said, “In Salta, Argentina, our daily allowance was $20 (less than Rs 1,000). Before that, at the Azlan Shah tournament, which we won, our allowance was $14 (Rs 700). I don’t think our demands are excessive.”

The team did not lack patriotism, D’Souza said, but was battling for a bigger cause. “This is not just about the World Cup. This is for the larger cause of Indian hockey. We want parents to think that playing hockey can also be a professional option,” he said.

Striker Deepak Thakur added, “They (HI) say they don’t have money. In that case, we are willing to fund our own World Cup campaign. All we are asking for is a written assurance. They said they won’t have any money till 2011, they said the contract with Sahara leaves them with only this much and nothing else. They said that Sahara is not willing to talk about it, but we later found out that Sahara has not been approached by HI at all.

“How can we take their word for anything?”

The players denied they were holding the game to ransom ahead of an important tournament. “If we had raised the issue at any other time, we would not be sitting here discussing this. We would have been sacked by now,” Thakur said.

HI president AK Mattoo described the incident as a “national shame”.

“We have tried to explain that we can afford to pay them only Rs 25,000 as we do not have more funds. But they are not willing to compromise and they are sticking to their demand of Rs 4.5 lakh per player. It is a national shame that they want to play for money and not for their country.

“We have issued a deadline of 48 hours for them (to return to training), failing which we will select a fresh squad of 22 and the coaches will conduct a crash course training camp before the World Cup,” Mattoo said.

The players are in no mood to give in, but have not yet decided to quit the camp.

“We will not go back to training. If after two days they say you can’t stay here, we will pack our bags. But there is no question of backing off now,” said striker Arjun Halappa.

Mattoo claimed even a second string side would do well. “I have faith in the coaches and the talent in India, and I am sure we will perform well in the World Cup no matter what,” he said.

Other HI officials said there wasn’t much hope even with the current team. “Last time we finished 11th. With a new team we will at worst finish 12th,” said a senior HI official.

International Hockey Federation (FIH) vice-president Antonio Van Ondarza, who attended the meeting, reiterated the statements he made on Monday — that it was a shame the players were putting money above the India shirt.

“I have tried to explain to the players that the federation is doing everything in its power to solve the issue and roping in the money will be easier after the World Cup, but they refused to listen. I am very disappointed that they were not willing to compromise,” he said.

Mattoo said it would be fraudulent on the part of the interim body to make promises which would have to be kept by the permanent body that is to be elected on February 7. “How can we give them assurances of payment? We are an interim body, and we are not in a position to make promises for a body that will be elected in the future,” he said.

Late in the evening, Sports Minister M S Gill issued a statement requesting the team to resume training. He promised them a “fair deal” after the World Cup.

“An immediate long-term solution is not possible. After the tournament, the Sports Ministry will be in dialogue with the new elected management of Hockey India to find satisfactory solutions to all issues raised by the players,” Gill said