SUNDAY, July 8, 2001:

The Indian Hockey Federation’s audited accounts for the last two years confirms once again its callous attitude towards players’ cause and welfare which it is supposed to profess and protect. It’s spending on players welfare is not even one fourth of what it has incurred on office stationery and way below its whopping telephone expenses.

Against a turn over of Rs.2.80 crore in 1999-’00 and 2. 06 crore in 1998-’99, only a paltry sum of Rs.28,926 has gone on players welfare whereas office stationery expenses stood as 1,12,007. The telephone bills were perked at a staggering Rs. 16,36,801 which is more than 50 times of welfare measures.

It shocks the hockey observes amidst reports of Olympics gold medallist Joginder Singh struggling to meet his medical expenses, 1976 World Cup player Gopal Bengra working in a stone quarry and a 74-year old widow Mary Philips, wife of Los Angeles Olympics gold winner Joe Philips, eking out a life as domestic help. So bizarre is the case of India’s under-21 captain Anmol’s Aind who died recently in a training camp. The IHF did not even extend a token amount to his young widow as on date. Gold medallists and coach of the last Asian Games contributed Rs.10,000 each and presented a purse to Bengra, while Maharashtra Government granted a monthly stipend to Mary. Delhi’s Nehru Hockey Society mobilized Rs. 8 lacs in aid of Joginder through a charity match. All the while, the IHF which spends about Rs.60,000 a month on telephone bills alone, did not part single pie with any of these needy persons.

Sentiments and plight of some past stars apart, there is a solid case for the Federation to be professional and pay its players for their toil. With no match fee in place unlike cricket or tennis, incentives are mandatory tools to motivate the hockey players. Yet, every IHF dodged the issue refusing to put together a system in place. This apathy has often led to frustration among the senior lot.

The same KPS Gill who rode to the chair of the IHF on his popular declaration of improving the lot of players, does not appear to be different from the talisman.

As per the latest accounts, his regime has spent just Rs.5.50 lacs as incentives to players in the last financial year and Rs.18 lacs before that. Hockey Year Book estimates a figure of 35 lacs as incentives since Gill assumed the office of IHF in 1994 against Rs. 9.0 crore turn over, which works out to little less than 4 percent.

Where does then the money go? More so in the light of the government’s support which takes care of preparatory camps, extends technical support, bears the air fare charges of most of the tournaments and grants aids for various other purposes. Govt. grants form almost 40 percent of IHF’s income, Rs.1.02 crore in 1999-’00 alone.

The IHF does not even pay for the coaches. Contrarily and ironically, as a clear case of protector turning a predator, it owes dues to many coaches, Rs.13,620 to Harcharan Singh, Rs.88,083 to Pargat Singh and Rs.76, 743 to Cedric D’Souza as at March, 2000.

T.Jesudanam, IAS, vice-president, IHF, does not mince words. The chairman of the Competitions Committee says, “It’s exactly my surprise too. I am an office bearer yet it’s difficult to get into the bottom of things. The passing of the IHF accounts in EC meetings are farce. First, accounts are not sent along with agenda. Secondly, accounts of 2,3 years are passed in one go without giving anytime for discussion. Take for example last meeting at Bangalore. When I and others sought clarification, Gill postponed the meet for lunch. When we assembled after the break, the accounts were passed, I don’t know what happened in between. The others were silenced perhaps with usual offer of foreign jaunt. I dissented the passing but no avail.”

“Yes, the IHF is spending a major chunk of it resources on free-loaders. I wrote to treasurer asking for the split-up of spending on so-called observers other than manager and coaches on foreign tours , but still no reply. The present IHF inherited a legacy of 19 lacs from the previous regime in 1994, but now despite five fold increase in revenues, we have a long list of creditors. All these years the IHF is spending 20 to 25 lacs rupees more than the income”.

On asked about why the IHF does not keep its expenses within the limits of income, treasurer J.N. Tyagi justifies his position, “I am just there to follow what my president approves and permits me to do? Why he approves, what he approves is beyond my scope and power. As far as the due of Pargat Singh is considered we agreed to foot his air-fare expenses of attending meetings of FIH as its athletes’ panel member. Again, I don’t know why it is approved, then why is it not paid”.