HI poll, sex scandal: timings coincidental?

The real contest is between 83-year-old Vidya Stokes (L) of Himachal Pradesh and three-time Olympian Pargat Singh for the post of president

Prabhjot Singh

Highlighting of the sexual harassment of national women hockey stars on tours abroad has had not only the hockey fraternity, but also the entire sports community of the nation hang its head in shame.

No one would ever doubt the veracity of the statement of girls who might have undergone harrowing times on being asked for sexual favours by those in the team managements. Yet the timing of the unsigned anonymous complaint reaching only Hockey India and not the Ministry of Sports has stirred a hornet’s nest.

Many in the sports administration in general and hockey in particular do not rule out the possibility of sexual harassment of women players. They, however, have serious doubts about the intentions of the architect of the letter.

Elections to Hockey India were to be completed much before the 2010 World Cup was organised in New Delhi in March this year.

Caught in a piquant situation, International Hockey Federation could not take away the World Cup away. Instead, it provided a breather to Hockey India quoting litigations as the reason for extending the deadline for completing elections till end of May this year.

Again, another adjournment was made and now the elections have been fixed for July 28. Apparently, it is an open straight fight between a group propped and supported by those controlling the Indian Olympic Association on one hand, and the other seeking young and fresh blood in administering the national sport.

While some of the state units are still waiting court verdicts to attend the July 28 election, most of the units opposing the present lobby in control of Hockey India, have had to struggle hard to get into the Electoral College.

Punjab, for example, had been the glaring example. It has been one of the first few states where not only men and women hockey bodies got united and the State Olympic Association ratified the merger and election of the new Hockey Punjab team, Hockey India refused to recognise it on one pretext or the other. Ultimately, Punjab got through.

Chandigarh, another major hockey centre of the country, would remain un-represented at the July 28 meeting. A conflict of interests between the Chandigarh Hockey Association and the Chandigarh Olympic Association will keep the Union Territory out. Can hockey fraternity be denied the right because of personal conflict of interests between two or more individuals?

The real contest is between 83-year-old Vidya Stokes of Himachal Pradesh and three-time Olympian Pargat Singh for the post of president. Vidya Stokes, a senior Congress leader and a former Speaker of Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha, had remained president of the All-India Women’s Hockey Association for 23 years. She had unsuccessfully contested for the vice-presidentship of the International Hockey Federation a couple of years ago. She had lost to her counterpart from Singapore for a berth reserved for Asia. She is counting not only on her own support but also the vote bank that the IOA ruling group can get her. Like her group she is opposed to government guidelines.

Pargat Singh, on the other hand, is not only the most eligible sportsman-turned administrator, has a deep understanding of the game and has been doing a great deal to revive hockey in Punjab in a big way in his capacity as director of sports. He has acceptability not only in the FIH but also in other countries. Most of former players and many of the units looking for a change and betterment in administering of the sport are supporting Pargat Singh, who has thrown his hat in the contest to get the game back on the winning podium.

Pargat Singh, however, has been in favour of the government guidelines for transparency and fresh faces in the sports bodies. A young Olympian or a veteran politician, the choice is being left to 60 voters in the Electoral College to decide at the July 28 meeting.