Indian hockey in Azlan Shah controversy
NEW DELHI: At a time when hockey is struggling to regain its lost glory, sports officials on Tuesday came close to ensuring that India missed the Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia next month – all because of some inflated egos and poor co-ordination.
Players and officials were stunned on Tuesday afternoon when Hockey India (HI) announced its decision to pull out of the Azlan Shah event after receiving a letter from the Sports Authority of India (SAI) which said the government will not bear any cost for the tournament.
“The only obligation to the government for this tour was to cover the airfare cost of the team but in the sanction given by SAI it is clearly mentioned that government is not covering any cost,” an HI statement said.
Better sense, however, prevailed in the evening when the sports ministry stepped in, paving the way for the team to take part in the tournament – a Category A event in world body’s calendar – which they have won five times in the past.
The development came just two days after the security in-charge of the National Stadium, which comes under the SAI, was arrested and released on bail after HI officials filed a complaint accusing the man of misbehaving with them on Sunday, the final day of the Hockey World League (WHL).
HI bosses alleged that SAI’s decision on Tuesday was in retaliation of the police complaint made against the security personnel. SAI bosses, however, dismissed the claims.
They said the refusal to pay the airfare was purely a budgetary decision. “We have an annual budget of Rs.5.94 crore for Hockey India but they crossed it. We have already spent Rs.11.27 crore.
This is why SAI didn’t clear the case and forwarded it to us,” sports ministry secretary PK Deb said.
With Malaysia bearing most of the expenses, the invitational tournament would cost India a little over Rs 30 lakh out of which, according to HI, the ministry will now pay 49 per cent towards air fare and the rest will be borne by HI.
What’s shocking is that SAI waited till Tuesday to convey its decision to HI despite the fact that the government has always paid for the airfare of the Indian contingent for this tournament.
HI too wasted little time in announcing the pullout, which was surprising since they it could have afforded to send the team on its own, considering the crores they receive from sponsors.