HI should organize Nationals or let others do it.

The present hockey dispensation is in the seat of hockey since May 2008. They haven’t conducted Nationals till date. All they did in the last two years was to announce the conduct of Nationals once and canceling it at the slightest pretext.

The set up that ruled hockey from 1994 to 2008 did a great disservice to hockey, and did not hold the annual event on one pretext or other. Only thrice the Nationals were held in 14 years of their rule.

If today Hockey India depends on long back discarded goalies to discard an inform goalie (Adrian D’Souza) it was because there are no new talents, even if it is there they are not on the public domain. This was solely because neither so called selectors go to domestic tournaments nor Nationals are conducted.

Conducting Nationals is paramount important, and it should be conducted in any case in time before the Commonwealth Games.

Today the media world received a press release from HI’s acting president Vidya Stokes warning stern action against those who send team to the proposed Bhopal Senior Nationals.

This is a dog in the manger case: ‘I won’t conduct Nationals, you are not eligible to hold it either’.

This is not sports, this is not sporting spirit.

Vidya Stokes is a reputed politician having inter alia acted as speaker of a state assembly for a full term of five years, and is now Himachal Pradesh’s Opposition Leader.

She should have used her good offices with the HP state government and made them organize the Nationals. Since July is the lull season before active season starts, and also ideal for universities as the academic session just commences, there cannot be a better time to organize it than now.

Neither Hockey India nor is the IHF is going to spend money from their pocket for the proposed Nationals – they will never — but by the government of Madya Pradesh.

If Hockey India, a FIH recognized body, organizes the Nationals on its own, that will be nice. Then they will have a moral right to stop from others duplicating it.

It is really strange why Hockey India does not cooperate with government. Given the enthusiasm of state governments, many things could have been accomplished with the help of States.

Punjab Gold Cup could have been held again (Punjab govt is ready to spend). Indian campers could have taken part in the ongoing Chief Minister Cup in Bangalore (the high prize money event is organized by the Govt. of Karnataka). And, now when another State government is ready to spend a fortune on hockey, Hockey India cracks a whip. Why Indian campers are secluded, Nationals avoided?

Hockey India, if the account sheet distributed during the recent AGM is any indication, is not replete with funds. In fact, it claims bank loans have been taken to run hockey, and the government grants and reimbursement were not received either.

Then why the paupers as they are, stand in the way of others spending it. Let HI forget for a moment power struggle, and join MP government to conduct nationals. Even if each state would send one team from IHF and another from HI, that should be acceptable.

There should be more players on the ground and more matches will be a bonus.

Let the manipulative minds that run both HI and IHF work out some solution so that hockey sport avail MP government’s benevolence

Note: In our last article on the Nationals we erroneously reported that the Indian team entered the Hamburg Tournament to avoid the proposed Nationals. This information, sourced through regularly reliable source, is found to be wrong. We regret the mistake. India entered the Hamburg Masters many weeks ago.