Chronology of a Controversy in women’s hockey:
India comes second behind South Korea in the Delhi Asia Cup.
A senior player Sandeep Kaur was sidelined by the coach G.S. Bhangu in the whole tournament.
As a mark of protest the senior girls – Pritamrani Siwach, Manjinder Kaur, Sita Gussain and Sandeep Kaur did not attend the preparatory camp which commenced at Patiala for the Olympic Qualifier.
The IWHF, its secretary and the selectors as also the the government nominee did not bother about it.
By the time the girls understood their mistake, the commu-nication gap had widened.
Late in the day, the IWHF chief called up Sita Gossain and asked her to report in the camp. She refused as she felt her lone presence in the team will be of no use.
The coach issued public statements that he had fitting re-placements and gave an undertaking to the government to this effect.
His team failed to win even a single match at the Qualifier.
IWHF Secretary proposed life ban for those four players in the executive meeting.
Members force an explanation and the president Mrs. Vidya Stokes stepped in to set up an inquiry panel consisting of Chairman Mrudula Sinha, a senior vice president of IWHF, with two members Ramesh Nambiar of Air India and N.R. Chouwdhury, secretary, Railway Sports Promotion Board.
All the four girls attended the Inquiry amidst a visual media glitz.
The Inquiry panel fixed the failure of duty on the IWHF secretary, indicating Railway Sports Promotion Board for its casual approach. It also recommended immediate sacking of the coach and manager and one-year ban for all the four girls.
In the emergency Executive meeting convened on 9.5.2000 the secretary apologised. The coach and manager came with some startling information, which they had earlier denied. The annoyed IWHF sacked them forthwith. While one section wanted players ban to be imposed, the other forced action on the secretary too. As a compromise, the players were asked to tender explanation letters.
Three girls, except Sandeep Kaur, met the secretary, RSPB, and produced identical regret letters.