Hockey team get their dues

The Indian hockey team finally received the promised payment of Rs1crore in aggregate on Monday, days after the 22-member squad called off their strike demanding cash incentives for their performance in the Champions Challenge Cup in Argentina last year.

While the players got Rs 4lakh each, the remaining Rs12 lakh was distributed among the support staff, including Rs 2 lakh to coach Harendra who had opposed the players’ protest, at the Balewadi Sports Complex in the presence of Indian Olympic Association and Hockey India officials.

The hockey players had stopped training on January 8 after HI said it didn’t have enough money to meet the players’ demands and could only spare Rs25,000 per member, as against Rs 4.5 lakh being demanded by the team. The issue was resolved only after the team’s sponsors stepped in and released Rs 1 crore for the players.

Among others, coach Romeo James received a cheque of Rs 2 lakh, while a token amount was also given to chief coach Jose Brasa and trainer David Perez.

While the players were happy to receive the amount, they objected to money being given to Harendra. “He (Harendra) has been against us throughout. Hence he had not been included in our letter amongst the people who are to receive money. Why then should he get the money?” asked a player, who didn’t want to be named.

Harendra had, on the fourth day of the standoff, said the strike by the players was “a shame”.

“Former Olympians have asked the players to call off the strike, yet they refused to listen. It is a shame,” he had said at a HI press conference. On Monday, however, he said: “I am truly surprised by this. This is a very nice gesture.”