“Leak Specialists’ in the Sports Authority of India have done it again. Getting a rare chance to point a finger at a legendary player-coach, they have again ‘shot off’ a letter and significantly leaked to it to media, timing it perfectly on the eve of arrival of the FIH delegation to Hyderabad.

The report – Ric faces SAI’s Wrath — published in almost all dailies of India at the first instance deserved to be taken with a pinch of salt, if not discarded, because the top official name is not disclosed. Once in a while in a report not naming a source of information is accepted a norm in journalism, but the whole article based on unnamed top official is not correct.

Ok we will go ahead.

‘The top official wondered why Ric has signed contract on ‘duress’.

If Ric says he signed the contract on duress, he is stating the truth. We have to remind ourselves of under what circumstances he signed the contract..

In the morning of 10th March, 3 or 4 hours after India failed at Chile Olympic Qualifier, this writer broke the news in the NDTV live programme that Ric was not given return ticket to come to India.

How do the SAI officials, who sit on high moral ground do this?

When this became the national news, the worried and guilty conscious ‘top officials’ sent him the ticket and all of sudden their folly of not signing contract too came to the fore. How come a coach who is on duty since three month before not given a contract?

This was a joint ploy by SAI and the now disgraced KPS Gill’s. SAI said they did not sign a contract because the IHF did not inform them, and the wily KPS Gill, knowing how much casual and irresponsible these government functionaries can be, conveniently cut off communication.

Due to national outcry, these two bad elements have to come to talking about contract. Every television channel in the country, all the newspaper trailed the event for about three days, in which time both Bob Davidzon and Ric met both SAI officials and Gill at his home innumerable time. Ultimately, it was made known the contract is ready, and ric will look after everything except Senior team.

Can anyone believe this? Due to constant perusal by Davidzon and steadfast refusal by Ric not to confine by himself to secondary jobs, the mandarins in the ministry reluctantly included senior team assignment in the contract. Ric has at that time itself made it known that he is not happy with the contract.

Now, after so many months, if the ministry expresses surprise on Ric’s ‘duress’ am not surprised at their attitude.

These babus (bureaucrats) are not bothered about the purpose and intent of their business, but pointlessly harping on ego. Naturally because, today they are with Sport Authority, tomorrow they will be with Steel Authority. They are always ‘Authority’ without accountability. One cannot expect sensitivity and seriousness of business from them.

They are only ‘His Masters Voice’. MS Gill does not want him because he thinks Ric is given more salary. By and large MS Gill goes by what the Olympians in his home state of Punjab say. Even the other day 84-year old Balbir Singh said India does not need a foreign coach.

The same insensitive SAI officials say, in the leaked reply to Ric’s resignation letter, how can they pay when he has submitted his reports.

They are opening a new front. Salaries are paid every month. You don’t pay him for six months and then all of a sudden ask why you have not done this or that. Why have not you asked those questions then and there, why only now when he demands his dues?

My humble question is, what will you do with those reports in the first place even those are submitted?

Ric has clearly said after his ‘discovery’ mission the bureaucracy is one of the bottlenecks of Indian hockey. So, you want to him to report this to you – so that you can again leak and get some brownie points.

They have not paid him for initial four months. Ric has every legitimate right to demand that. The babus, at the behest of KPS Gill then and MS Gill now are barking at wrong tree.

Ric has not come to India to fight with the babus, and would have never expected even getting salary will be such a great task.

One thing certain is this: If MS Gill’s argument that Ric is paid more salary, why not Ric is sticking to it?

Because he can get more than this anytime anywhere.

Let MS Gill go by what Balbir Singhs and Kulbir Singhs say, at least stop harassing a genius who came to India for a rightful cause.

Appreciate his professionalism. He says, sorry, am going.

How many Indians have said so?