BHUBANESWAR, June 26: Former Indian hockey team captain, Dilip Tirkey expressed shock over media reports which alleged that the India Vs Malaysia match had been fixed during the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup.
“This is improbable! I don’t know the details of the allegations that have cropped up in Malaysia, but just rewind and see the match and you will find that there was no let up at any point of time. The Malaysian players were attacking us throughout the match,” he recalled.
Tirkey felt that none of their officials or coach could have been in touch with the Indian team members. Several other hockey players seconded his opinion.
They said: “There have been rumors about teams taking it easy, ensuring a draw in matches, to position themselves in the points’ table against a particular team in the semi-final line up. But fixing in terms of taking money to lose a match is unheard.”
Dilip inaugurated the Subodh Memorial Floodlit Football Tournament organised by the top football team of the state, Kishore Club, here today. 8 teams, Rabbani Club Nagpur, Bhilai Brothers Chhatisgarh, Ludhiana Sports Club Punjab, Assam Rifles, Chand Club Cuttack, Kishore Club Bhubaneswar, Samaleswari Sporting Sambalpur, and Sports Hostel Cuttack will take part in the tournament.
Urban Development minister Mr K V Singh Deo, former sports minister Mr Suresh Routray and several other dignitaries were present at the kick-off of the first match between Rabbani Club, Nagpur and Chand Club, Cuttack.
Informally talking to The Statesman, some of the national hockey players who were present said they were yet to overcome the shock of not qualifying for the Olympics. “Nothing has been done over the last four months. The ad-hoc committee ought to have worked out a calendar for the senior teams to play tests or some tourney. Everybody is sitting idle, the more we play and train , the better,” they observed.
“This shows the lack of planning,” added another senior player of the national team.