Hockey India need to show some return gesture

Much to the disappointment and frustration of many hockey aficionados, the World Series Hockey did not take place. If the turn out at Chandigarh — where an Indian XI-WSH World XI match was put in place by the WSH organizers — is any indication, it will be nothing but miracle if the WSH resurrects itself on the revised dates early next year.

So, at least 200 Indian players were thus deprived of their expected income, and millions a hockey spectacle.

It is fruitless to explore the culprits of the no show, though its apt to surmise the proven fact that those who are negative in thought and action always win.

So be it.

Now, on the eve of the New Year, its better to think of positives and hope to have a better hockey year rather than rue the past.

Therefore, the first submission to Hockey India, which can take pride in spiking the WSH, is to show its positive energy, having proved beyond doubt its spoilsport competency.

Its current players who helped HI to improve its ‘patriotic’ credentials by opting out of WSH.

HI therefore need to show some return gesture towards playing community. We all certainly welcomed when it announced Rs25 lac prize for Champions Challenge win. Even lesser amount would be suffice to implement the below:

Here are some suggestions to this effect:

ONE: World Over Federations name Best Players at the year end. Why not HI emuluate this? All Sports Board in India do this, what prevents HI from doing it? For instance, Hockey Year Book announces annual awards since 1995 even before the FIH came out with its version.

TWO: Implement Players Retirement Scheme. What is this? This is nothing but presenting a purse to players when they announce retirement from domestic or international hockey.

THREE: Implement Match Fee: Introduce match fee for players, and if HI would do it even on modest scale it will mark a new era in the hockey world.

Sincere hope here is that don’t announce hoping or setting up FIH to oppose it!!

We are fed up with this backdoor tactics.

These three steps will not cost much, but will instill a sense of belonging in the playing community besides improving the profile of HI.

No governing body of hockey in the world ignores players as do Indians.

No sports body in the world gets players and facilities free of cost as do India.

Therefore it is prudent as well as practical for HI to do some image make over, and a course correction is in order.

We wish and hope wisdom prevail sooner, and with this hope we in stick2hockey.com look forward to an Olympic year with optimism.