Pargat ‘rebel’ hearing put back till Sunday

BANGALORE: The Thursday meeting between the five hockey players, who were served show-cause notices by Hockey India, and Pargat Singh did not materialise after two players said they wouldn’t be able to make it.

“I was told that Arjun Halappa and Adrian D’Souza wouldn’t be able to reach Delhi today. So the meeting has been postponed to Sunday,” Pargat, HI’s disciplinary committee chairman.

The former India captain said he was particular that he met all the players together and asked the boys to come to decide on a common date.

“There have been too many changes in the venue and date,” Pargat said. Initially, I had asked them to come to Chandigarh. Then Delhi was thought to be the central place. Now Sardar Singh tells me that they have agreed to meet me on Sunday.”

The five players – Adrian, Arjun, Sardar, Sandeep Singh and Prabhjot Singh – were served notices after they left the camp without permission to attend the World Series Hockey function in Mumbai last month.

Pargat confirmed that he had received their replies, where, apparently, the players had stated that they had a commitment to honour.

The meeting precedes the second phase of the camp, which begins in SAI Bangalore on August 8