All time low, but Indian hockey was already in a mess

Just when one thought that the mess surrounding Indian hockey couldn’t become any worse, came the news of the women’s national coach being accused of soliciting sexual favours from players and passing lewd remarks during training. It has been all downhill for the national sport that seemed to be enjoying a rare high after the men’s World Cup in New Delhi earlier this year.

Only four months ago, it seemed all rosy: India was rediscovering its passion for hockey and the team was finally making an impact internationally. The current scenario presents a total contrast. As television put those hazy sleazy frames of the team’s videographer on loop a day after the scandalous going-ons during foreign tours of women’s hockey team were made public, the feel good pictures of a jam-packed National Stadium seemed a forgotten past.

The men’s game, too, is playing out its own farce. The mess started with the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) forming and recognising an unelected, ad-hoc body called Hockey India (HI) in 2009 to run the sport in the country. The organisation has failed to hold its elections ever since. This came after the suspension of the then ruling body, the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF), and its subsequent derecognition. Last month, a Delhi High Court order restored the authority of the IHF. The order forced the IOA and the Union Sports Ministry to accept the IHF. With the hockey fraternity split wide open, both IHF and HI have claimed majority support. The first enjoys government recognition because of the recent Delhi High Court order, the second is recognised by the international hockey body, FIH. It would be funny if it wasn’t so tragic for the game.