Does anyone see any hope for Indian hockey except chaos in the IHF and the humiliating images of the players.
For the sake of clarity for S2hockey readers, let me spell out the position of various parties involved in Indian hockey ever since Great Britain brought the soothsayers’ predictions true on 10th of March.
The IHF: Its president KPS Gill wants to hang on to his post for another two-three years but will not take any blame for the fiasco. His estranged deputy, K Jothikumaran, is incidentally, lying underground. It’s an act in which the former Bank clerk quite excels everytime he is answerable for some debacle or the other.
Union Sports Ministry: The minister, Mani Shanker Aiyer, we all know him to be an intellectual who deserves a better portfolio but his party’s politics is keeping him down at the moment. You see, he will defend Sonia Gandhi but sees no reason to fight for Indian hockey’s cause (who cares for 8 Olympic gold medals). According to Aiyer, the sports ministry cannot interfere and tell the IHF to perform its duty. Forget the rumours in New Delhi that Aiyer is as much to be blamed as Gill for leading the team into a mess. Incidentally, the selection committee members of the IHF had not signed the team list (it is mandatory for selectors to sign as per govt rules for teams going abroad) that was selected by the IHF but Aiyer’s ministry still cleared them to fly for the Qlympic qualification. The selection list had only signatures of Gill and chief coach Carvalho. Why bother with such paperworks in the new-age Shastri Bhavan under Aiyer.
Most former Olympians: They were all over—from Chandigarh to Cuttack–on TV on the fateful day. Though, one of them, wanted the anchor to spare some time on the show for discussing hockey’s imminent death, to promote his book. A good number of ex-Olympians were still contemplating for a couple of days whether they should blame Gill or not? In 2004, one of our venerated Olympian (of pre-1964 era with residence in India as well as abroad) had asked for taxi fare for participating in a protest rally against the IHF (on the dropping of Dhanraj Pillay from the team for Athens Olympics). This is not a personal calumny against all the great hockey Olympians but to highlight that the game which gave so much to so many people, has been forgotten by almost everyone.
Joaquim Carvalho: He is, after all, an Olympian, and sportspersons should be given due respect. But, what do you say, about a man, who makes no distinction between performance and promise. Post-disaster and the resignation drama, Carvalho has launched a tirade against Charlesworth, whom the hockey world considers ‘god’. Charlesworth is to hockey what Gary Sobers is to cricket sans the fact that the hockey legend is also a qualified doctor, a former member of parliament for 10 years, a coach who won 3 World Cups, 3 Olympic titles and 5 Champions Trophy. Obviously, like his other colleagues in the IHF, the chief coach doesn’t see much reason.
NK Batra and Aslam Sher Khan: Life baffles and Indian hockey even more. Batra and Aslam Sher Khan were known fence-sitters and frequently changed camps in hockey. Batra is a sports administrator in both hockey and Delhi District Cricket Association, and Khan, who was the star of 1975 World Cup victory and held senior position under Gill in the IHF. Ironically, the duo seem to be only people who are making an effort to change things. Former minister Khan has already petitioned 100 MPs to remove Gill from causing further damage to hockey while Batra’s resignation may have been just a symbolic gesture but he has, alone, for more than two years, taken up the issue to improve hockey.
The media: Always maligned for being smitten by cricket, and flirting with tennis (Sania Mirza) and golf (sponsors), there has been no lack of support this time from this quarter. No wonder, when Gill broke his silence in an interview to NDTV, he lashed out the most at print journalists—the cop understands the power of the media especially when players and members of hockey fraternity are still silent on the massacre. But, question is, for how long can the media support?
That’s basically it. Don’t you think it’s time for the international hockey federation (FIH) to consider disaffiliating the Indian Hockey Confederation (the IHF is part of it) and take initiatives to appoint a body which will take up the development of the game. This, however complicated, seem to be the only option. If Gill and Co are allowed to continue like they have been doing for the last 14 years, there will be no light in the tunnel even in 2010.