Stalemate ends, players to get nothing, now

Officials of the Hockey India finally managed to convince country’s top players — who had raised the issue of cash incentive and system of gradation — to return camp and take up practice.

The players had even threatened to boycott the training camp if their issues are not sorted out. Their outbursts hit the headlines.

But after a marathon session today that lasted four hours in the Capital, both Hockey India and players’ representative Rajpal Singh, were on the same platform and echoed a similar views —the issue had been settled and training will be resumed from Sunday, was all that they said.
But it’s certain that things will take a different shape, in the near future, and it would depend on the attitude of the HI Officials.

however, HI’s interim president told the television channels that money was not the issue discussed, and the manner we approached and discussed the issues won the day.

In all probability, Hockey India, wanted to keep the minutes of the meeting under wrap — if at all one prepared– which was why transparency was the last thing on the mind of the those who are involved in the two-day drama.

What all they wanted was to defuse the crises that had cropped up from nowhere, disturbing the ambience projected for up coming Hockey India elections. Finally, it was managed.
What is more surprising, some of the officials of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) that had constituted Ad-hoc body–Hockey India, to run the affairs of the game in the country, were divided over the issue of cash incentives to players.

Some officials of the IOA say players should get their dues, while Mattoo & Co had termed the issue as baseless, saying it’s not for the good of the game. “Players should focus on the game and shouldn’t get involved in politics,” Mattoo had said.

One has to wait and watch what happens next!

It is believed that the managment has assured incentive if team performs well in future

Players have understood our problem, we have understood their problem”, said Matoo to the group of waiting media men around 10 ‘O’ clock in the night.

Uhnfortunately, the empty coffers of the Hockey India, which came to light to players today, helped to solve the problem to a large extent, though players are not going to get anything as of now.

Earlier Postings on the subject

At the time of writing this report (20 hrs), the meeting between players and the Hockey India officials are still going on at Lalit Hotel in New Delhi.

Earlier in the day, six Indian players reached Delhi as planned, and stayed at Le Merredian Hotel, which is offical hotel of the 2010 World Cup.

Around 14 hours they went to Trade Fair Grounds where Auto Expo is going on; it was part of being with the Hero Honda stall there.

They returned to Meridien Hotel in the evening, only to be taken to Lalit Hotel for discussion on the topic which hogging the headlines nowadays — players’ payment issue.

Earlier, in the morning, Hockey India’s interim president AK Mattoo said the ‘the ice has been broken’ indicating that the headway has been made to find a solution to the vexed question.

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