SAI campers may not play WSH

PRINCIPAL CORRESPONDENT

In a proposal to the Union Sports Ministry, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) has said that players attending the National camp may not be released to take part in the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF)-backed World Series Hockey (WSH).

“After going through the opinions of Michael Nobbs, foreign coach, and David Jones, exercise physiologist, in detail, it is found that all the hockey players attending the National coaching camp under OPEX 2012 for the preparation of the Olympic qualifiers have to practise and play together over the next two months with the top level players of the world rather than play in the WSH tournament, where only veteran players will be participating,” said a SAI letter to the Ministry.

“Accordingly, it is proposed that in order to concentrate on the preparations for the Olympic qualifiers as well as the Olympics 2012, we may not send the players, who are undergoing the coaching camp under OPEX 2012, for playing in the WSH tournament,” it added.

A war of word has been going on between IHF and Hockey India (HI) over the scheduling of the WSH, which is proposed to be held from December 17 to January 22.

The men’s Olympic qualifying tournament is scheduled to be held in Delhi from February 15-26.