Indian Express: Haryana HC revokes ban on Gurbaj Singh, directs Hockey India to reconsider

Hockey India had imposed a ban of nine months on Gurbaj Singh on allegations of misbehaviour were made against him.

By: Express News Service | Chandigarh/ New Delhi

The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday quashed Hockey India’s decision to ban senior Indian player Gurbaj Singh for nine months allegedly because of misconduct and creating groupism in the team. The court said the decision was “patently illegal” and not commensurate with the allegations.

Justice Rakesh Kumar Jain, however, remanded the case back to the Hockey India Athletes Grievances Redressal Committee to convene a meeting within one week from the date of receipt of the court order and to take a decision for imposition of punishment/penalty upon Gurbaj “if need be, as per the code of conduct-guideline sanctions” which shall also “commensurate with the allegations/charges” levelled against Gurbaj.

The court said that the committee’s decision should be intimated to Gurbaj within two days thereafter. The judge, after going through the allegations levelled against Gurbaj and Hockey India’s rules, said: “The petitioner is not found to have committed a serious misconduct in order to attract the punishment of ban.”

Going through the cases in which Hockey India had imposed ban on players in the past, Justice Jain said: “It is found that the bans were imposed in the past but in the circumstances where the players either have assaulted, had an altercation with the umpire and left the field and did not return back, found over-aged, used abusive language or showed utmost disrespect to the officials during the match.”

But the court observed that in Gurbaj’s case such allegations have not been levelled against him. “These incidents, even if they are taken to be true, though refuted by the petitioner, cannot be brought within the ambit of serious misconduct in order to attract the punishment of a ban of nine months, especially when the respondents (Hockey India) have failed to show from the Rules and Regulations the provisions of the punishment of ban except for certain orders passed in various meetings of the Hockey India disciplinary committee,” said Justice Jain.

Gurbaj said he has not lost hopes of returning to the national team following the court order. “I will continue training hard and hope I am selected for the team again. I am ready to play for India any time they need me,” he said.

Hockey India’s next step wasn’t immediately known but the federation, which has punished Gurbaj for the second time, is unlikely to go soft on him yet. The federation had imposed a ban of nine months on Gurbaj after former national coach Jude Felix had submitted a report following the Hockey World League Semifinals in Antwerp, Belgium to the Federation, in which allegations of misbehaviour were made against the veteran midfielder.

Gurbaj had appealed against the disciplinary committee’s findings and the matter was heard by a Hockey India committee comprising president Narinder Batra, CEO Elena Norman, Harbinder Singh and RP Singh. However, they were not convinced by the clarification offered by the player. The ban means Gurbaj could miss next year’s HIL and Hockey World League (HWL) finals to be held in Raipur, starting November this year, unless Hockey India decides to reduce the term.