Prabhjot Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 2

Hockey India, a unified new face of Indian hockey, is up for grabs. The ad hoc committee of the Indian Olympic Association, given the mandate to manage the affairs of the game till a democratically elected body gets in place, has allegedly started playing “pick and choose” game in allowing voting rights to the rightful affiliates of the Hockey India.

Tormented by continuous denial of recognition as a “democratically constituted unified body of various hockey bodies in the State”, Punjab Hockey has decided to fight “undemocratic, arbitrary, illegal and nepotism” resorted to by the ad hoc committee of Hockey India to keep it out of the January 29 general house meeting where new office-bearers of Hockey India will be elected.

Presidents of both Punjab Olympic Association and the Hockey Punjab may address a news conference in the union capital tomorrow to highlight how the state is being denied affiliation by Hockey India without giving anything explicit in writing.

Punjab Hockey has been formed under the supervision of the Punjab Olympic Association after merger of Punjab and Pepsu men and women’s hockey bodies. Punjab was, in fact, one of first few states to have formed a unified body of the existing four State Hockey Associations. The Punjab Olympic Association instantly recognised the unified Hockey Punjab.

Since then, the unified Hockey Punjab has been in constant touch with Hockey India and sent all resolutions and the subscription required from an eligible State unit. The International Hockey Federation had directed that India must have a unified body controlling the sport in the country in place before it is allowed to hold the 2010 World Cup in New Delhi.

The president Hockey Punjab Sukhbir Singh Badal, also happens to be the Deputy Chief Minister of the State and many rate him as a future president of the Hockey India. This, feel some others, could be the reason for keeping Punjab out of the January 29 meeting.

But according to indications available, Punjab does not figure in the list of 21 units given affiliation by the ad hoc committee so far. Among the left out states and units are Jharkhand – the tribal belt that has been an enormous contributor to national teams, both men and women; Kerala, Punjab – the undisputed nursery and feeding line of Indian hockey; Mumbai, Maharashtra and Vidarbha – again a major feeder unit of Indian hockey; Bhopal and Madhya Pradesh – third biggest feeder of national teams; and Tamil Nadu – another major unit with tremendous contribution to the growth of Indian hockey.

While there may be some merger problems in case of Bhopal and Madhya Pradesh as well as Mumbai, Maharshtra and Vidarbha, but Punjab has no such issue. If one looks at the origin and growth of Indian hockey, pioneer units were Punjab, Bhopal, Mumbai and Kolkatta followed by Chennai. Oldest hockey tournament of the world – Beighton Cup is older than even the modern Olympics. Aga Khan Gold Cup in Mumbai, Murgappa Gold Cup in Chennai, and Obaidullah Khan Gold Cup in Bhopal had been the oldest and most prestigious hockey tournaments of the times when Indian hockey dominated the world scenario.

No one can dispute the contributions of Punjabis, Anglo-Indians, Muslims and tribals to Indian hockey. But some people in the Indian Olympic Association, however, have allegedly been resorting to “illegitimate” means to keep these hockey nurseries out of the new look Hockey India.

And if one looks at the present-day Indian hockey, most of the top teams of the country have their base in Jalandhar and the last international hockey tournament – a four-nation event – held in the country was organised by Punjab. And the man who wants to be the president of the Hockey India is even keeping his own State units out so as to avoid a possible and strong opposition from within his home constituency.

There are many who know, understand and have contributed much more to the growth and development of hockey in the country than those who aspire to occupy top posts in the new body.

It is time for the Union Ministry of Youth Services and Sports to intervene and prevent the governance of our national game being pushed from bad to worse and unending litigations.