Hockey payment issue: Women players wear black bands

After Indian Men’s hockey team’s stand off with Hockey India (HI), the Women’s core group team Thursday sported black bands over non payment of their dues during a practise session at the regional centre of SAI in Bhopal.

“The Indian women hockey core group comprising 40-odd players today participated in the three-hour long practice session wearing black bands,” the team chief coach M K Kaushik told PTI.
“As of now they have no plan to refrain from playing in the preparatory camp,” he said adding that the players also want facilities akin to their men counterparts.

When asked if the non-payment of dues to the women players will affect during the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and World Cup this year, he replied in positive.

“I am trying to keep them in good spirits and ensuring that the due problem doesn’t hit their performance in the upcoming mega events,” Kaushik said.

The women’s hockey core team, along with the men’s, too wanted to strike play but some of the players got assurance from the HI over their dues payment, sources close to them said.
The players of the Indian women hockey team have not received their dues since April 2008, and hence the core group decided to sport black bands in protest, they said.