Hockey India works on war-footing and bans two pl

Hockey India works on war-footing and bans two players

On Saturday India had two important sittings. One, the parliament worked on an otherwise holiday to chart out a plan to end the fast of Corruption Crusader Anna Hazare. He has at the end of the day won for us.

In the same city in an obscure place and under no limelight, a lot many former legendary hockey players assembled — for what, to consider ban for two players. They not only lost their own battle, but ours also.

So, two players (Sandeep Singh and Sardar Singh) have finally been banned for two years from participating in any international tournaments. Of course this decision has not been intimated officially till this piece was written. But it is sure it had been done.

The meeting that had decided to ban the players on Saturday had many popular former players including Padamshree Pargat Singh, the architect of the ban and also the new messiah of Discipline, legendary Harbinder Singh, great right winger Mukesh Kumar, world cup player Sukbir Singh Grewal, new entrant to power circle Rajnish Mishra, and of course the entire coaching staff including chief coach Nobbs. We were unanimous in the ultimate decision.

So, the decision to ban has been accomplished with fair amount of big names in it, whom the public respect and in no case would subject to any scrutiny, or even dare to question.

So do we.

However, one doubt.

Hockey India has shown a remarkable administrative skills and urgency to ban the two players who skipped the Asian Champions Trophy, an event which is to take place early next week.

The urgency of banning the players is beyond comprehension. It could have been done after the tournament even if for a while it is considered necessary. Because, the adminos could have thought such bad news would spoil the atmosphere of the team.

Such bad news may not entail right environment for a national team — which embarks on a crucial activity — to perform to its potential.

Why can’t the same urgency be shown on many other issues? Had those things been addressed in time in adequate manner, this pass would not have arisen in the first place.

The main issue is perception of a good section of senior players — that they are tossed between two warring Federations. And the unmistakable suspicion that casts on one side of the rival Federation that some players are not loyal to them.

Most players who do duty for the country, are willing to play ball with the WSH, which assures them windfall.

Hockey India is running the show without giving any money to players, which the otherwise WSH promises. At this juncture it is easy to invoke patriotism clause and lecture the players. Most players buy and go by it while some don’t. Those players who attended the WSH Press Meet in Mumbai last month belong to the latter. They have every right to take a decision on their own. More so due to the fact that Hockey India did not even talk about Graded payment for which it once told us a Committee has been formed. It was before the World Cup last year, and then conveniently forgotten.

You call indiscipline or greed, some players have made a choice to go in for WSH, and they expect a windfall for them. It seems now they have to pay for it. Sandeep and Sardar earned two Rs. lac each for playing in Belgium. That a player skips the national duty for this sum speaks for the financial mess in which even present day players are pitched in. The country as a whole think over it. Why a hockey player, given an opportunity, prefer to go for money making than playing for the country? It is upto us to find an answer.

As hockey followers, we only feel such things could have been avoided with proper care and counseling. Hockey constantly send out negative news, it creates a negativity about the game. It is bad in the long run.

Why can’t such an urgency be shown on other matters which concerns or confuse players, like two warring factions whose fights go on and on for three years, confusing the players in the process.

Hockey has been caught in between. The real fall out of such protracted administrative tangle is telling. It is also disheartening that even if players are given full power to run the administration, they also indulge in such avoidable acts such as banning. Is there no other way to move forward and go with the players?

We feel sorry for hockey, and it is not the right way to prepare for the hard tasks ahead.

I once again congratulate the expertise of Hockey India which has assembled a vast number of former players in one stretch and allowed them to take the decision which otherwise would have given them bad name and bad press.