Where does Indian hockey go from here?

Today (Friday) marks the 100th day since Indian hockey was shut out of the Beijing Olympics. There seems to be no urgency to make efforts to rebuild the sport from the Chile shambles.

Thanks to the prompting of the new Sports Minister MS Gill and the public anger in the light of aajtak television’s sting operation, well-entrenched KPS Gill regime was dismantled exactly 50 days after Great Britain outwitted India at the Santiago Olympic Qualifier final.

The Indian Olympic Association which dissolved the Gill’s Indian Hockey Federation first set up a Selection Committee with five Olympians, and much later an ad-hockey committee consisting of personalities from its own set up to run the hockey affairs. Absence of single professional in these committees is a cause for concern.

The ad-hoc committee did not meet even once. It speaks of their casual attitude. The Selection Committee headed by Aslam Sher Khan met five times, but Dhanraj Pillay’s absence in all sittings is a mystery. Except ratifying a team that coach had selected for the Azlan Shah Cup, the Committee is yet to show anything to show they mean business. Till now, they haven’t come up with any roadmap, perception or policy statements to satisfy their posting.

Karnataka Hockey Association offered to host the next National Championship at Bangalore, but they are yet to get even acknowledgement from the IOA.

India is likely to visit Russia in a month’s time, but everyone is groping in dark on the choice of chief coach. Bureaucracy in both Sports Ministry and the Sports Authority of India seem to entertain a sort of aversion for Ric Charlesworth. The new policy makers on the other hand are misled by the same old selfish elements, who in their coaching turn failed miserably. Due to such a mindblock and indecision despite paying a whopping sum every month, Charlesworth’s services are not availed.

Md. Aslam, convener of the ad-hoc committee, confides that the chief coach and other issues will be decided after the Hyderabad Junior Asia Cup. It means another month will be lost before all other issues get a look. This event based ad hoc approach has been our bugbear and it refuses to go even now.

At this juncture, all concerned should understand one reality. None of the hockey’s problem started with KPS Gill and as such will not fade away with his exit. We were not champions even when he took over. The new regime should understand this and do things on war footing.

FIVE AREAS OF IMMIDIATE FOCUS

Appointment of Ric Charlesworth as Chief Coach

Finalization of Domestic Calendar including allotment of all National Championships

Confirmation of 2010 World Cup in New Delhi

Time frame for handing over hockey administration to new IHF

Confirmation of PHL continuation

Note: This article and support statistics were published in the New Indian Express yesterday