Revolt spreads, juniors to back India hockey seniors
HARPREET KAUR LAMBA
NEW DELHI
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Indian hockey players, currently on strike, got a shot in the arm with members of the SAF Games and junior India team joining their fight against the administrators and saying they would provide “unconditional support” to their seniors.
“It is a fight for the game of hockey and we are all united in it. There is no way that we are going to play the World Cup in place of our seniors. They have taken a stand and we will support them wholeheartedly,” a member of the “B team” preparing for the SAF Games said from Lucknow.
The development came shortly after talks between players and Hockey India officials failed to resolve the payment row, forcing the latter to serve a 48-hour ultimatum to the players to resume training. HI also said it would fall back on “B team” for the World Cu in New Delhi beginnin February 28.
The day began with high-profile meeting o Hockey India officials an the Indian team in Pun with the latter submitting detailed letter of demands The players listed thre points — incentives for las year, a graded system an match fees. They als demanded a meeting with sponsors Sahara India. The team asked for Rs 3.75 lakhs per player as incentive for their performance last year — Rs 1 lakh (first place at Azlan Shah), Rs 75,000 (second place at the Punjab Gold Cup) and Rs 50,000 (third place at the Champions Challenge), and Rs 50,000 each for the Argentina, Canada and New Zealand series.
Hockey India maintained it did not have the money to pay the players and also refused a players’ meeting with Sahara.
The team then asked for a written assurance, appealing for a fair deal when a unified body is formed after the Hockey India elections on February 7. “We asked HI to pay us only our incentives for the last year and give us in writing that the new governing body would introduce a grade system.
They refused even that so there was no point in talking further. The team chose to walk out at this stage,” said a player.
It is also learnt that the 22-member squad had signed a letter on Monday night vowing to stand united in all circumstances.
Said Hockey India president Ashok Kumar Mattoo: “Any player who is in the complex has to train but it seems for them (the players) money is more important than playing for the country. We are not saying that we are sacking or suspending them, but they will not be able to take part in the World Cup. The players have been given 48 hours to resume training. If they decide not to attend the camp within 48 hours, we will shut down the camp.”
Unperturbed by HI’s threat to field a fresh team in the World Cup, the players ruled out joining the camp unless their demands were met. Captain Rajpal Singh and senior players Prabhjot Singh, Deepak Thakur, Adrian D’Souza and Arjun Halappa later said HI’s offer of Rs 25,000 per player suits a school side, not a national team, and the players were mentally prepared to leave the camp in Pune.
Deepak Thakur, speaking from Pune, said, “If it was only for money, we would have been playing for our departments, and not spending months and months at these camps. A player gets Rs 50,000 for 10 days in a domestic tournament, and not a single penny in the national camp. We have left all that because the country is foremost for us. But why is it only our duty to think about the country, and not of these administrators?” Goalkeeper D’Souza added that it was not only about the money, but the future of the game. “We value our India colours more than anyone else. This stand is not only for a sum of money. This is our chance to do something for a better future for youngsters wanting to play hockey. We want to secure the future of the game,” D’Souza said.
Mr Mattoo said a new set of players would represent India in the forthcoming World Cup if the rebelling players did not report to the camp within the stipulated deadline. “India will participate in the World Cup irrespective of whether or not they play. We will look for fresh players from across the country,” he added.