The Tribune: Stokes too gets taste of team securit

Stokes too gets taste of team security

M.S. Unnikrishnan

Tribune News Service

The Indian hockey team have been practising “in-camera” under such a security cover ever since they shifted base from Pune to Delhi on February 3 that even Hockey India president Vidya Stokes has to get her pass made whenever she wants to enter the Dhyan Chand National Stadium.

“It’s only due to security reasons”, reasoned Stokes. So far, taking the security plea, the media had been kept out of the practice sessions of the team, and Vidya Stokes defended the decision: “We have to follow the guidelines as the presence of the media will disturb the players and may even demoralize them”.

She had to face the ire of the media for barring them from covering the Indian team’s practice sessions. “Even I am not allowed to go there often. Why should the media be there always”, she asked, though she did not clarify who issued the guidelines to keep the media out–the Union Home Ministry or the Union Sports Ministry.

The Hockey India acting president was cornered during the launch of ING Life’s “Pass the Josh” campaign as a major partner to the Hero Honda FIH World Cup, to be held at the National Stadium from February 28 to March 13, but she stood her ground, saying that the media had been barred from the National Stadium only due to security reasons.

Stokes also defended Hockey India’s move to bring in gradation for players though the present body was not an elected one. “Grading is a necessity for the men and women players. We have to develop a system so long as we are there. It does’nt matter whether Hockey India is an elected body or not”, she explained. (Gradation will enable the players to get remuneration on the basis of their experience and standing).

Meanwhile, Tushar Khandekar, who was present as the representative of the Indian team, said the preparation for the World Cup was well on track. “We will try to do well in the World Cup,” he said. Tushar said not playing any competitive match for the past few weeks was not an handicap in the preparation of the team. “We played lots of matches during the past one year–in Europe, Canada, Spain , Argentina, etc. If we have not played matches for ten days, that does not mean that we are not prepared,” he elaborated.

Tushar said India would certainly enjoy home advantage, and he did not attach much importance to the hosts’ opening match against Pakistan on February 28.

“Every match is special. There is no pressure. This is our home ground, and there will be home advantage”, he added. Former Indian captains Ajitpal Singh, Zafar Iqbal, Olympians Munir Sait, Jagbir Singh and Hockey India adviser Anupam Gulati were also present at the “Pass the Josh” launch.

They also indulged in some shooting practice, with Vidya Stoke’s strike being deftly parried by Olympian custodian Munir Sait. “The Pass the Josh campaign, in which people will sign on a giant board wishing India success in the World Cup, will be taken to different parts of the country to generate national fervour for the World Cup”, said ING Life’s Rahul Agarwal.

This was the first official function to generate interest for the World Cup since the Indian team started practising in Delhi. “Hockey India is looking forward to the kick off of the World Cup”, noted Vidya Stokes.