MS Gill happy as hockey crisis is resolved

CHENNAI: Sports Minister M S Gill expressed his happiness after the player-administrator crisis plaguing Indian hockey was resolved on Wednesday.

“I have been watching the situation that prevailed for the last four days. I am happy that the players’ issues have been resolved,” Gill told reporters at the airport.

“Players have understood that the ad hoc committee to run Indian hockey was set up by the IOA for a temporary period. The Hockey India (HI) elections are due on February 7. As the ad hoc committee cannot take any long term decisions, all issues raised by the players will be given due consideration by the new body which will be in place by February first week. We will try and arrive at long term decisions to the satisfaction of the players,” Gill said.

He said the players would attend their regular training sessions from tomorrow and “bring about the best results in the national interest starting from their first match against Pakistan on Feb 28. I had inspected the Delhi stadium and its facilities for the World Cup yesterday. It is one of the best in the world.”

Gill was on his way to Puducherry for a meeting relating to his ministry.