FOR as long as it’s been known, the appointment of the national hockey coach has always been an administrator’s job and not that of the selection panel.

However, it seems that the IHF ad hoc committee is trying to bring a little transparency into hockey administration as this time they decided to delegate the power of choosing the new coaching panel to the selectors.

Sadly, it’s this very move that has blown up in their face.

If sources in the ad hoc committee, are to be believed, then recent decision of the selection committee to announce the next men’s team coach was actually supposed to be a proposal and not the final appointment.

A BIT TOO EARLY

“ Well firstly I would like to make it clear that the selection panel did in fact have the power to select the new coaching panel, however, the announcement was made a bit too early as there is a certain procedure to selecting a coach,” a member of the ad hoc committee told M AIL T ODAY on Sunday.

The official added that the proposal for the coaching panel was to be sent to the Sports Authority of India and the Sports Ministry. And only after their confirmation could they have officially announced the coach.

“ I think it was a mistake on the selectors’ side to have announced MK Kaushik as coach. It was a bit too early and the IWHF ( women’s federation) was probably right in expressing anger at the decision,” the official added.

Asked why the selection committee has been given the power to choose the coaching panel, he said: “ We feel that there should be no interference from the ad hoc committee as far as selecting the panel is concerned. As selectors we always have a better idea as to who is qualified to be the next chief coach,” he added.

Chief selector Ajitpal Singh could not be contacted but a source close to the selection committee stated that he was also surprised that the coach’s name was announced so early.

“ After our discussions, Kaushik’s name was finalised. However, I think we announced the name a bit too early without realising that a coach’s selection requires a bit more paperwork.

We should have also consulted the IWHF and Kaushik should have told us of the clauses in his contract,” he said.

By Sandeep Narayan in New Delhi
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