‘Tirkey stopped from becoming selector’

While it finds a lasting solution to the present imbroglio, the Sports Ministry has allowed Hockey India (HI) and the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) to co-exist peacefully. But it seems the Ministry will have to work overtime if it wants to bring the bodies together given the mistrust between the two groups. On Thursday, former India coach

Joaquim Carvalho, a spokesman of the IHF-affiliated Mumbai Hockey Association, accused HI of vindictive action against those involved with the IHF. Carvalho said that the Air India Sports Council, affiliated to Hockey India, had stopped former India captain Dilip Tirkey and goalkeeper Ashish Ballal from taking over as national selectors in the panel announced by IHF.

In a letter to Injeti Srinivas, joint secretary, sports, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Carvalho claimed some umpires who were officiating in the 63rd Senior National Championships in Bhopal had also been invited for duty at the MCC Murugappa Gold Cup in Chennai.

Air India sports council secretary, Dilip Pinge, refuted the allegation. “I have been told that Dilip got to know about his appointment only from the media. Any employee, if he has to take up such a position, has to take permission from the management. As he wasn’t aware, Dilip did not seek any permission,” Pinge told HT.

He said they didn’t have a problem if Tirkey sought permission. HI secretary general Narinder Batra too rejected Carvalho’s allegations