Times of India: Unaccustomed ways of Customs
MUMBAI: While high-profile teams like Air India, Indian Oil and Bharat Petroleum are toiling in the ongoing Guru Tegh Bahadur Gold Cup hockey tournament in the city, it is ironic that a city-based team is unable to participate in this prestigious tournament Mumbai Customs, who ply their trade in the Super Division of the Mumbai Hockey Association league, haven’t showed up because they don’t have enough players to field a team. Reason: Customs have not recruited sportspersons despite having 20 vacancies. Senior players like Olympian Rahul Singh and Erro D’Silva who are in their 40s and Conroy Remedious and Stanley D’Souza, who are touching 40s, have to fill in on most occasions.
Such is their plight that they don’t even participate in five-a-side rink hockey games. Just recently they had to withdraw from a rink hockey tournament because they didn’t have the numbers.
“In 2012 we had conducted trials to fill vacant positions for sports. Olympian Dhanraj Pillay offered his services as a selector. He shortlisted a few players and they went through all the required procedures but the shortlisted boys have not yet been appointed. To add to our woes some officers, who were looking into the recruitment process, have been transferred and we are back to square one,” Rahul who manages and doubles up as player told ToI and added: “Three years is a long period. For example, a player like Joshua Vesaokar, who was selected during those trials, has not yet been appointed. He has been turning out for us in various tournaments in the hope of getting a permanent job. He is 27 now and not getting any younger. While he has persisted, there are a few others who have taken up jobs elsewhere.” Incidentally, Customs last recruited four hockey players in 2008. The problem is not restricted to hockey alone. Other disciplines have also suffered because of a lack of fresh legs.
But if Joint Commissioner Sports, Pawan Kumar is to be believed, there is no delay. “Five to six recruitment are already in the pipeline. In the next 10 days, six officers will be recruited. We are planning to recruit another 13 in the next six months. I am certain things will be better in the days to come,” he assured.
RESULTS:
Pool A: ONGC 6 (Gurvinder Singh Chandi 16, 29, 38, Diwakar Ram 42, Preetinder Singh 49, Pramod Kumar 68) bt Army XI 2 (Robin HM 14, Bhushan Kujur 41). Pool B: Air India 3 (Sumit Topo 25, 59, Shivendra Singh 33) bt Central Railway 2 (Narad Bahadur 34, 55). Indian Oil 4 (Sunil Yadav 6, Hamza Mujtaba 33, Roshan Minz 53, Deepak Thakur 60) drew with South Central Railway 4 (Poonacha MG 9, 14, Sandeep Singh 63, Mayank James 65).