Losing tournaments have been a routine shame for India.

Indian hockey is replete with instances of losing allotted international tournaments for one reason or other. This has been sad part of Indian hockey. That’s why till the ball is set in motion there exists a shred of uncertainly on the tournament allotted to India will take place or not. It recently happened with respect to 2010 World Cup too.

Even on good old times, India had to forgo hosting tournaments as big as World Cup for stupid and silly reasons. And, in he Asian context the same fate hung for the Asia Cup.

By and large the shifting of Champions Trophy 2011 is not an isolated incident.

Not many would know the 1975 World Cup that India lifted ultimately was originally allotted to Bombay. There were two different sets of Bombay Hockey Association officials before and after allotment, whose internecine feud took away the World Cup to KL. Rane Frank, then president of FIH, had to say what Nobbs recently said: “There is too much politics in India”.

The 1999 Asia Cup had been shifted in the last minute to Kuala Lumpur as India could not hold on to the terms and conditions of the Asian Hockey Federation; also due to expected denial of visa to Pakistan team due to Kargil war.

The same happened two years later. India could not honour the commitment to host the men’s and women’s Champions Challenge due to war like situation in India, read parliament attack. The army build up on both sides of border did this tournament in.

The same parliament attack scenario also led to the early return of USA women’s team which was supposed to play a 3-match test series.

Previously, the late approval or disapproval from the government, and with that the uncertainty of funds, used to be the main reason, besides infights.

Many of these shiftings could have been avoided had the administration been alert. India-England cricket test series went on despite Mumbai terror attack, for instance.

Due to merger of men and women federations, and alleged delay in national stadium construction and failure of Hockey India to conduct elections and other issues cropped up time to time after 2010 World Cup was allotted to India. Even a month before the actual start, doubt have been raised quite often.

So, whatever, India’s image is now sullied beyond repair. Indian hockey has lot great many chances to come back. This is also one.