INDIAN HOCKEY has experienced many unusual things in the last couple of years — failing to make Asian Games semifinals and the Olympics among them — but this is bizarre by any stretch of imagination.
In a sport that is notorious for sacking coaches without rhyme or reason, two federations fighting for the services of the same coach is an unprecedented event.

The man in question here is women’s team’s coach M.K. Kaushik, who was recently short-listed by the IOA appointed ad-hoc selection committee to take charge of the national men’s team.

On Saturday , the Indian Women’s Hockey Federation added further twist to the tale by announcing that Kaushik will continue coaching the women’s team.

“He is still the coach of the women’s team, and I’m sure he will soon be joining the camp at Bangalore,” IWHF chief Vidya Stokes told HT. “At the time when the men’s and women’s associations are set for merger, there is nothing wrong if he (Kaushik) coaches both the teams.” Kaushik on his part maintained a diplomatic front. “I will do whatever my employer SAI tells me,” Kaushik said.

However, some quarters in the IWHF were not happy with Kaushik’s decision to take the men’s coaching offer as he had given in writing that he would continue with the women’s team till 2010.

“It was Vidya Stokes, who spoke to the Haryana Chief Minister about Kaushik’s deputation to SAI. Now when everything has been sorted out how can he leave the women’s team in lurch?” asked an IWHF official on condition of anonymity . Besides Kaushik’s issue, the IWHF also discussed about the merger of the men’s and women’s bodies and plans to hold events like 4-nation tourney in Punjab, Indira Gold Cup and Commonwealth Games in 2010.