Money begins to flow in for women’s team

A day after the Indian women’s hockey team refused the Rs 50,000 per player offered to them, money is flowing in from all quarters. Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan met sports minister MS Gill on Friday and offered Rs 1 crore for the team. On Thursday, Chouhan had offered to bear the training expenses of the team, currently at a camp in Bhopal.

“I am very happy that the Madhya Pradesh government has come forward to help the team. I have spoken to Shivraj Singh Chouhan and he is eager to extend his support to women’s hockey.

“I have also spoken to Dipika Murty (goalkeeper) and have asked her to prepare a list of the players who have not got their dues,” Gill said.

Gill got further assurance from industrialists he met during ASSOCHAM meet in the Capital. They have pledged a total of Rs 10 lakh.

In the evening, Gill spoke to the chief ministers of Assam, Rajasthan and Haryana and requested them to contribute to the welfare of both the men’s and women’s teams.

‘At par’

Meanwhile, Hockey India president Vidya Stokes came out with a statement saying that the women’s team will be paid at par with the men.

Stokes added that HI will look into the matter of giving annual contracts to the women players as was promised to the men’s team and that the players committee formed to oversee a special players’ fund will now include the captains of both the women’s and men’s teams.