Women’s team to protest with black arm-bands

Less than a week after the Indian men’s hockey team won their battle for incentives with Hockey India, the senior women’s team has decided to fight for their rights by wearing black arm-bands at their camp which is currently underway in Bhopal.

The women’s hockey team had a good run in 2009, qualifying for the World Cup and winning the Champions Challenge II, despite several off-field problems including visa hassles.

“We are only seeking an answer as to why we are being discriminated against. The day Hockey India satisfactorily explains to us why the men’s and women’s teams are treated differently, we will remove the arm-bands,” captain Surinder Kaur told The Indian Express.

“Even during the men’s strike, we supported them but did not join them. Hockey India had promised us that both teams will be considered at par and there will be no discrimination in terms of rewards, but that has not happened. Now we are being told that there is no money for the women’s team,” senior striker Mamta Kharab said.

Pooling in for team mates

In fact, the team have decided to get together to themselves help the more needy among the players. “Four of us — Mamta Kharab, Dipika Murthy, Subhadra Pradhan and myself — have opened a joint account, from which we will give money for girls who need it. Recently, we helped pay for the operation of the (team mate) Rajni Bala’s father,” Surinder added.

Another player said that since the women’s team was hardly in spotlight, they had decided to join hands to provide for themselves. However, the team management has been kept away from this protest. “The coach and other staff are not part of this protest. This is a team decision taken by the girls alone,” Mamta said.