This is what was feared most when the factions get active in the Indian Hockey Federation. We have seen it all in innumerable times in the past and one more in the horrendous series is being unfurled at present in front of our eyes.

Disgruntled Batra’s latest accusation on the age of some players fall under this dubious category. Batra seems no botheration – from nation’s interest to players career — before coming out with wild accusation of this nature.

I for sure know the Indian Hockey Federation, or for that matter any sports bodies, go by the details of players as recorded in their passport, which is a time tested practice, and legal proof to rely on.

The IHF did the same. I for one who collects every player’s age and profile details as a matter of routine, is clear in my mind. I have players’ vital stats in my record and nowhere the players who participated in the just concluded Colts World Cup are above 21 with respect to FIH cut off date. Even a player whose date of birth was doubtful was left out of the Rotterdam squad.

In a hurry to present the present IHF regime in a poor light, Batra has resorted to this low, which shows the feuding officials have no heart for the game, but only personality clash and ego hassles matter to them.

In 1973 World Cup was allotted to India. And again in 1975. It’s internal feuds of highest degree that made the then FIH to shift the venue from India. That time too none in the IHF set up or in the faction that found fault with anything the FIH did, did not bother about country losing the right to hold the World Cup. They only grinned when the IHF had to face the dilemma of losing the right which it painstakingly obtained. Country’s interest never occupied their priority.

By stooping to this level, Batra has fallen down from the eyes of public. When Pargat Singh did something of this nature in 2001, Gill took him to task. Pargat had to ran post to pillar to save his job in the Punjab Police. He never substantiate his claims. Batra also would never. But the trauma that the accused players would undergo is something that is surely avoidable. Batra or Gill is no our concern. Our concern is hockey and those who play it on the ground.

So please Mr. Batra spare the players. Let the fights be two dimensional, not muti-dimensional.