Hockey stars have taken WSH cash

All the top Indian players have taken ”advance” to play in the World Series Hockey promoted by Nimbus, confirmed company’s Chief Operating Officer Yannick Colaco. The first edition of the WSH will start on December 17.

“Out of the 200 players, we have 146 Indian players. We can confirm that all players including the top 50 Indian players who have played for India in the last three-four years have been paid an advance amount which confirms their participation,” Colaco said on Wednesday.

Incidentally, during the first media conference of the WSH, there was controversy regarding senior players like Sandeep Singh, Sardar Singh, Adrian D’Souza being present which led to their suspension by Hockey India which was subsequently lifted.

Colaco said that playing in WSH shoudn’t be looked in a manner that Indian players are being lured for big money.

About the format, he said that the players would be picked by the eight franchises through draft system similar to what is practised in the NBA.

Each franchise can at the maximum have 25 players each of whose price is fixed.
Meanwhile, the Sports Ministry has called a meeting of the Indian Olympic Association, Hockey India and the Indian Hockey Federation on October 14 to resolve the dispute.