Narinder Batra’s latest perspectives on WSH

Stick2hockey has recently published an article entitled “Need for Michael Nobbs to tread middle path”. Reacting to the story, Narinder Batra, Secretary General of Hockey India, offered the following points in an one-to-one discussion on Friday.

It is easy to make me villain of the WSH, but the situation is complex; India’s long term interests need to be kept in mind.
=====

The FIH has made it clear they will ban players and officials who will be part of the WSH. Ok, Tomorrow I may reconsider and compromise with my players. Despite their role in WSH, Hockey India may select some of them for the Olympics or Olympic Qualifier. What will happen then? The FIH won’t allow them for these tournaments, which means India would have to play with less number of players. We are heading towards that situation.
=====

Players are in government service. They are governed by the Central Civil Services (conduct) Rules. They are forbidden from making profit out of service, there is a limit for them to accept money, but the contract they signed with the Nimbus for WSH is against the Code. Receiving prize money is a different thing from accepting it for doing a service (playing).
=====

I don’t think any government department will give No Objection Certificate for its employees to be part of WSH knowing well they will be banned from playing for the country.
=====

I understand the ‘dinner’ urgency of players. Am sure HI can offer good money to players once we qualify for the Olympics. Am in touch with some Corporates for this.
=====

I think KPS Gill and Joaquim Carvalho do not want India to qualify for the Olympics again, because its under them we missed the Olympics last time. My view is based on the fact that they could have easily held the WSH after the OQ, say in March, why before the Qualifier? The schedule is hectic, one day match in Jalandhar the other day in Chennai, the players will be drained of energy.
=====

If they are interested in our national team, they should hold the WSH after OQ even now.
I have with me letter of Sports Authority of India and report of physio David John. I have to go by them. SAI forbids players from participating in the WSH in order to prepare the team for the OQ while John’s outlines the stages of physical fitness that will be imparted to players. My players cannot peak twice in short spell.
=====

It is really unfortunate youngsters like Juvraj Walmiki is taken on the contract for a paltry sum of Rs.5 lakhs. They have also taken half a dozen junior players on contract. These contracts have been signed after March, which means their career will be in jeopardy insofar as FIH rules are concerned.
=====

The IHF has nearly sold national sport hockey to a television company for a sum of Rs. 50 lakhs. My understanding is that hockey will be the property of the company for about six months in a year. Even there are provisions in the contract that the company will give NOC for players to play for the country! It is unacceptable.
=====

I do not want to make a hurried response to WSH. We are in the process of doing it in 2013. Those who play there will get international caps and this league will be respectable one. I can only say to players to wait.
=====

I cannot stop anybody from playing in WSH. But I will play junior team in the OQ if seniors miss out training and prefer to play in the WSH.
=====

Many players spoke to me and expressed the fact that they won’t take part in the WSH.

The Nimbus has five times liabilities than its worth, and faces non-payment cases in many countries. It has projected WSH on a big scale. Holding it in 8 venues needs lot of work on the ground, but I don’t see such preparations even now hardly three weeks left.

=====

I have my own reasons to believe the WSH will be cancelled in ten days time.
=====

www.stick2hockey.com has a profile. Its not befitting for the site’s editor to portray our national coach as chamcha.
=====

OUR VIEW: Most issues Narinder Batra rake up are legal ones, which are subject to interpretation, scrutiny and also discretion by competent authorities / courts. Secondly, if players are united, most things will take different shape in the resultant national sympathy and media frenzy, the twin factors that come to the forefront in such situations. We have seen such things in the past. Thirdly, HI and FIH know almost one and half year in advance the coming of the WSH. They could have easily presented a matching, if not a better, proposition to take control of the situation instead of now becoming Master Hurdlers. This site only reports and analyses events, and will continue to do without bias. The last word has not been said, but its unfortunate every hockey event is marred by politics. Certainly, hockey fans first interest is wish and welfare of players and this factor cannot be wished away. With regard to chamcha word, ok, I am sorry.