India commits a sin of sorts by not supporting its own benefactor Els in the recent FIH election.
It is very much clear now India did not vote for Els van Breda Vriesman in the recent FIH Election.
The Indian vote was with IWHF president Vidya Stokes — who was actually empowered so due to the Els policy of gender equality – who, in her over-stated self-belief, acted against Indian interest.
Nobody would have ever noticed Vidya Stokes in India had she not been made Chairman of the Indian Hockey Confederation, a bogus body created by Stokes and KPS Gill to cheat the FIH and IOC’s meaningful statues — and its strict stipulation of merging of both men and women’s bodies in India.
Vidya Stokes was contesting the top-notch FIH vice-president post having NEVER been even in the FIH Executive Board earlier. Why was she so ambitious now? Because, she got maximum votes in the last Asian Hockey Federation election. With around 40 votes, she was elected senior vice president of the AHF, getting almost 10 votes more than what KPS Gill could manage.
This perhaps has given her a false sense of importance and influence. Why did she get so much vote in the AHF election should be understood properly. It was due to the fact that she was the lone lady in the fray!! She has forgotten this fact, and got punished for her not-existing influence in the FIH Election. She got just 17 votes while her rival Anabel Dillon cornered more than 70. What a shame to India, just because of self-serving individuals.
Vidya Stokes, who cannot name or identify even a couple of players in the national team, certainly did not keep self interest before the nation – once again.
See how they run their house. The IWHF headed by her could not get as routine as getting leave for its national coach for almost a year — and their team lost to tiny Netherlands Antilles twice in the Kazan Qualifier. She should first bring her sport to victory podium before aiming to high in the world body.
Els spent considerable time and effort to improve the lot of Indian hockey. It is hurting that it’s India that undermined her at Los Angeles. Only we, Indians, can do such acts of self-destruction.
It now appears by trying to help India, Els had to face criticism in the FIH electoral college. All those who did not like her Indian interest, seemed to have used her Indian interest one of the tools against her in the lobbying process. Pitiably, India too joined its haters. Azlan Shah faction of Asian Hockey Federation is against Els, that is their problem. I don’t find any reason why India has to be in that lobby, forgetting the fact that Els did everything possible for India.
To say that she worked only for Indian hockey promotion is not wholly true either.
“If a country says our sport (hockey) is its national sport, we in the FIH are genuinely concerned our sport should do well in that country” – this is how she reasoned to this writer at Kazan.
If one looks at the views of the past FIH presidents, one can clearly make out all of them took special interest in Indian hockey. Etinnne Glictch, secretary-turned-FIH president, openly advocated removal of RN Prasad from the IHF presidency. Interested parties can browse the pages Sportstar and Saturday Sports Special section of The Hindu for those interviews.
Gill was removed not because of anyone. He was removed after he supported Jothikumaran in the light of sting operation by a television channel. Whether this view is right or not, its the ‘sting’ and the national anger that followed finished the KPS Gill’s tenure. Yes, Els was vocal and we salute her for her forthright views in this issue. Had IOA President dissolved the IHF had not MS Gill, minister, supported him? Gill’s removal was a national effort, Els certainly playing her bit for this.
If Els ‘plotted’ Gill’s ouster and ‘thrust’ Ric Charlesworth, world’s best coach, she was not sinning. By messing up everything, we are only sinning.
Asian Football Federation offered India of help far more in scale than what the FIH did for hockey. But none in the football community cries, oh the Asian Federation is biased towards India and such stuff. If someone used Promoting Indian hockey spirit of Els as the focal point of her administration, its just an attempt to garner political brownie points, besides their petty mindedness.
If tomorrow Pakistan hockey faces serious problem, if Leondro Negre takes some steps to improve the situation, will everybody shout against him? I don’t think so.
There cannot be any country in the world which supports its enemies and hates those who offer help and assistance, as we have seemed to have perfected this art.
Is there are any doubts as to why are we at the bottom of the hockey world despite spending millions of public money, this self-serving small politicians give an idea to this.
Els will remain in the heart of those who love hockey, pin hopes on revival of Indian hockey.
Likes of Vidya Stokes are too little for us to bother — but their nuisance values are very high.
1 Comment
Dear sir,
You said very much correct in your artical,were she don’t no the name of the indian women players those who served women hockey seventeen years and Arjunaa Awardee’ prestigieous award in india when she met her she ask who is she like ‘Pritam Thakran ‘who is corrently played qualifiying in Kazan and current top player of Railways the same with secy all are sitting at home and running hockey from there from her joint secy ‘ranjeet gill ‘ house wonderfull indian hockey they only the person who not Known ‘Ric’ and all the politics to send him back they are also culprit she also said for her due to some sourses gill in skirt.