‘The Stockholm syndrome’ effects seem to be telling as in the case of the IHF’s Ad Hoc Committee’s selection of the probables; Not so much as in the selection but in the manner they have treated the ‘axed’ players. ‘The Stockholm Syndrome’ “is ‘hostages showing signs of loyalty to the hostage-taker, regardless of the danger (or at least risk) in which they have been placed. The syndrome is named after the Norrmalmstorg robbery of Kreditbanken at Norrmalmstorg, Stockholm, Sweden, in which the bank robbers held bank employees hostage from August 23 to August 28 in 1973. In this case, the victims became emotionally attached to their victimizers, and even defended their captors after they were freed from their six-day ordeal. The term Stockholm Syndrome was coined by the criminologist and psychiatrist Nils Bejerot, who assisted the police during the robbery, and referred to the syndrome in a news broadcast.

It’s a pity M/S Ajitpal Singh, Aslam Sher Khan, ZafarIqbal and Dhanraj Pillay have fallen prey to the same as in imbibing the traits of the ‘dictators’ they replaced. Olympians all have been victims of a callous administration. ‘To hell with hockey’ and ‘crying foul’ when a Gill or Jothi led selection team without them.

And the same gentlemen pure and pristine as they can be are, in a way affected by the malaise of the ‘Stockholm Syndrome’; In this case, they are using the same ruthless methods used on them by the administration then, on the players now.

The Right Honourable Dhanraj Pillay, Esquire should have had the grace and courtesy for his Air India team mate, India team mate and a true servant of the game Dilip Tirkey before ‘axing’ him from the list of probables.

Dilip may be on the wrong side of his playing career, but to rob him of the courtesy of having a chat with him before announcing the list sans his name goes against the code of ethics and norms. More so when two of the members, namely Dhanraj- who raved and ranted on being benched against the ‘dictatorial’ hockey administration as well as Aslam Sher Khan – who in a fit of emotion wrote his’ To Hell with Hockey’. Well if the committee behaves in this fashion, Aslam’s book title may become the story of Indian Hockey.

Indian sport followers may not be surprised by this maltreatment. Remember the great Col. C.K. Nayadu, himself a victim of petty politics and callousness, on becoming the Chairman of Selectors in 1952, ‘axed’ arguably the finest all-rounder Indian cricket has ever produced-Vinoo Mankad who replied with the bat and ball post that!

With no selector presence at the 84th Murugappa Gold Cup tournament last month in Madras, meant that those who played well there were overlooked. I shed tears for Adam Sinclair of the Indian Overseas team.

Myopic, callous and cruel are these ‘player selectors’! And the casulness these gentlemen exude shows them in poor light. ‘Treat others as you would like to be treated’ is lost on them.