Pargat pans ‘sports mafia’ Kalmadi
New Delhi, January 24
Former captain Pargat Singh today launched a scathing attack on Suresh Kalmadi, calling him a “sports mafia” who is trying to become the Hockey India chief by hook or crook even though the IOA president rubbished the allegation. Pargat, the Hockey Punjab secretary, also blasted Hockey India for deferring its February 7 election in the wake of a Rajasthan High Court order and alleged Kalmadi was “up to something sinister”.
Earlier, Pargat made a stinging attack on Kalmadi, blaming him for postponing Hockey India election on purpose. “Kalmadi and his men got scared after he failed to get nomination from Maharashtra despite putting so much of pressure on the Maharashtra Hockey Association and that’s why they deferred the election,” Pargat alleged. “They cited the Rajasthan High Court order as the reasons but all they should have done was to submit an application to vacate the stay and go ahead with the election,” Pargat said.
“It’s because of such sports mafia that players go to the extent of revolting against the federation,” he said. Referring to Hockey Punjab’s tussle with HI to get affiliation, Pargat said people close to Kalmadi tried to negotiate a deal with him.
“I would call them Kalmadi’s lackeys who came to me and said in no unclear terms that Hockey Punjab would get affiliation as soon as we agree to support Kalmadi for the president’s post. I said we are just not interested in any sort of trade-off and they made me make round of their office for 10 days before eventually recognising us,” Pargat alleged.
Blaming Kalmadi for the players’ revolt, Pargat said, “No player fancies a situation like a revolt but when you don’t get the parental touch from the federation, you have no other way. Kalmadi has messed up Indian hockey and is playing dirty games. People like him don’t even bother about the country’s image. Even if the World Cup is shifted out of the country, they would not bat an eyelid,” Pargat said.
“I would say things were better even in the KPS Gill era,” he said. Pargat said Kalmadi was in fact using some of the former players as his ‘pawns’ and was playing games. “Under Kalmadi’s leadership, a huge mess has been created and even government letters had no effects.,” Pargat said. — PTI