Gurbux Singh: Indian hockey has been afflicted with the old disease. The ghost of match-fixing allegation has returned to haunt us at a time when we are desperately trying to recuperate from the body blow of missing out on an Olympic berth.
Back in 1996, before the Olympic qualifiers, the allegation had first surfaced when India played out a draw against Malaysia and the result saw both teams qualify at the cost of Canada. That “supposedly” fixed match had generated a lot of bad PR for us. This is a similar case.
Personally ,I don’t believe this menace exists in world hockey in general and Asian hockey in particular. There is not enough money in it. In football, French or Italian clubs have been penalised for indulging in this practice. But that involves a huge amount of money which is surely impossible in hockey .
There is one important exception in this case, however, with the focus this time not on the Indian team. So far, from the reports that have come to light, a few Malaysian players seem to have been involved. It is a pity, since we had done quite well in this tournament and the whole incident leaves a bad taste in the mouth.
Only time will tell whether this controversy affects us in the upcoming Asia Cup. We are the defending champions and we have a point or two to prove.
Meanwhile, the hearing for the very important case involving the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) is coming up on July 9. It is important to remember that the IHF has been taken over and disaffiliated but by no means has it been disbanded. Though the move has been done in collusion with the FIH — the world body — a speedy resolution of the case would make it easier for all concerned with the game in India.
For instance, there is still ambiguity over the selection of the squad for the Asia Cup.
It seems to be IOA’s job with the IHF remaining silent. But the KPS Gill-led organisation seems to be biding its time.
Whatever happens, it should be over by July 9 since the very important domestic season is starting just after the monsoon.
Crucial tournaments are left, and the decision on how best to use Ric Charlesworth’s resources is also pending.
Another interesting aspect is that nowhere in the world is the women’s organisation separate from the parent body. In India, we have the IHF, which looks after the men’s game, the Indian Women’s Hockey Federation and the Indian Hockey Confederation. I don’t see any of the organisations merging in the near future.
We need to bring people’s focus back to hockey . After the Indian Premier League, Asia Cup and Euro 2008, hockey has taken a backseat. Spain will meet Australia in the Champions Trophy — the most important meet after the World Cup and the Olympics — and the fact that neither India nor Pakistan is there is a sad reflection of the state of the game in this part of the world.
On the local front, it’s sad that the astro turf has again been delayed. In our centenary year, the best news is that we would be organising a 7-a-side indoor meet just after the Olympic Games. Talks with countries such as Pakistan are at an advanced stage.