Reward the Azlan Gold Medallist, it is getting late

Mere handshakes and garlands are ok. What about monetary rewards to the goldies of the Azlan Shah Cup?

Let us see the recent laurels hockey players brought to the country after KPS Gill has been pushed out of IHF.

Gold in the Asia Cup (Jrs)
Silver in the Johor Bahru Genting Cup (Jrs)
Series Win over Argentina (Jrs)
Series Win over New Zealand
Silver in the Punjab Gold Cup
Gold in the Azlan Shah Cup

All these laurels deserve not merely adulatory write ups, sound bytes, handshakes with VIPs. The players, though they enjoy the name and fame, they have all had enough of such stuff.

They deserve some rewards.

India is not Europe where players come for heck of it, as an amateur.

Even the average administrator like ‘disgraced’ KPS Gill understood this, and paid an amount ranging from Rs.40,000 to 1 lac to each player after some of the famous wins like the 2004 Junior Asia Cup, 2007 Sr. Asia Cup etc.

Sports lovers will be surprised to know Indian hockey players are not paid any match fee. For an example, India played 20 matches in this year. How much do the players get per match?

Please believe, a big zero.

A generation of Indian Hockey Administrators – unfortunately most of them insensitive, highhanded police – never thought of paying the players for their toil.

Now you just think. Dilip Tirkey is entitled to Rs.10,000 per match as match fee. He should have collected at least 40 lac for representing India by now. Because has an amazing 400 plus caps. How much, on the contrary he has got so far?

A big zero.

Government of India, using uniform norms applicable to all disciplines, give out something under Awards Scheme, which is a good.

Thrice or four times, Gill paid each player Rs.1 lac for major victories including 2003 & 2007 Asia Cups, Afro-Asian Games etc. A pittance, yet there was something to take back home other than sweet memories. Here also one hiccup. Many regulars who missed out any of these tournaments due to injury or other sporting reasons, missed out the socalled booty as well.

Therefore, match fee is the only option, easiy way, a bare minimum to compensate the toil of players on a rational basis.

Players get a job, occasional promotion, all sort of such bullshits are trotted by those who run the hockey administration. What the players got so far, which sustains hockey in the land are the job avenues that the government or public sector offer, promotional avenues and job guarantee. Those agencies are doing it as a social obligation, corporate responsibility.

What about the IHF, and now the Adhoc Committee.

They shout from roof top and take pride that they organized the events in which these players won the laurels. Agreed. Then what for you are there? Mere getting an entry in a tournament or obtaining sanction for a camp and trip from government is what is being done now. These are in any case administrators are supposed to do, and it cannot he administration par se.

If the Adhoc Committee really feels its their planning and administration that has resulted in the above listed laurels for the country, then they should organize payment to players for all these victories – at once.

No one has forgotten these victories, the country is watching.

There are about five former legends with the adhoc committee as Selectors, and then a couple of them as Directors of planning and projects (Jagbir and Pargat). Sports lovers therefore expect these all stalwarts – who can very well understand the sentiments of players – exert their weight and influence with the Adhoc Committee to get the players some cash rewards. Else, their presence in the administration will be construed as ornamental.

By winning, Sandeep Singh’s team gave the Adhoc Committee a name and recognition — and NOT the other way round.

The Azlan Shah gold was won without Deepak Thakur, Rajpal Singh and some others. There was a youngster (SV Sunil) who proved service to the country is not negotiable even it meant skipping the funeral of his father. Another player, often faced criticism for every goal that India conceded, stood like a rock on the turf to get us the gold. He is a 405 Games veteran. Sacrifices of the players are enormous, unaccounted for, even unsolicited. They continue to deliver, do their duty and are in the camps for two third of each year, leaving family and relatives at home.

Please reward them. Please recognize them.

The adminos have money for fighting court cases, defamation included, bear executive class fares, open the purse for press meet in five star hotels; why then no money for the performers. They can afford all such but cannot for the one that takes only a fraction of — to honour the players with some cash. Why can’t they shell out something for the poor players.

Why can’t at least make an attempt to contact some corporate and organize something, instead of again dumping the players in yet another of unending camps (which comes at the government cost).

If they don’t reward the players this time, make it sure, they will face the ire of the nation.