Hockey India clarifies that the dates for the Olympic Qualifier camps were decided as early as March this year, not otherwise as reported in some sections of media.
In an official statement, which is distastefully written, HI highlights the following:
“With great disappointment we have been observing for last few days (a) few amongst you (journalists) have (been) hitting at Hockey India for shifting the camp scheduled from 24 January 2012 to 11 December 2011. This you have been doing based on one sided information from Nimbus and without making any effort to seek any clarification from us or Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.’
‘We provide relevant minutes of first Steering Committee Meeting of hockey held on 7 March 2011. You (journalists) certainly know what LTDP means and that is what is discussed in these meetings’.
In an uncharateristic manner, the tenor of the statement ridicules the reporters for not only verifying the things with them and also hyping up things.
‘Please read at Page 7 at S.No: 10 and S.No: 11, the December 2011 and January 2012 camps for Men are given and the place is Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium Delhi all this was finalized in March 2011. And these are official government documents. Also read at Page 10. S.No: 11(ii) i.e invite foreign teams in January 2012.
‘HI never changed the dates or venue, HI claimed in the statement.
Only recently, Harendra Singh, who was the national coach in March this year, stated the dates for the OQ were originally kept for next year January end.