MS Gill: WSH good for hockey

M.S.Unnikrishnan

Former Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Dr M.S.Gill said it was in the interest of Indian hockey to allow the conduct of the World Series Hockey (WSH) as the event would hugely benefit the players as well as the game in the long run. He said nothing should be done by Hockey India (HI) and the International Hockey Federation (FIH) to throttle the WSH with their bullying tactics.

He said so many hockey players, particularly from Punjab, the hub of Indian hockey, have been signed up with the WSH franchisees, and they stand to gain much financially if the league is allowed to run, as scheduled. While congratulating the Indian team for the mesmerizing victory in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament, Gill said the construction of perhaps one of the best hockey stadiums in the world-the Dhyan Chand National Stadium in Delhi-was done without any hassle as the Sports Ministry, headed by him then, went out of its way to ensure that the stadium was constructed without any glitches for hosting the World Cup first (2010), followed by the Commonwealth Games.

He wished that the Indian team would carry forward their good work in the Olympic qualifiers to the London Olympics as well. He said India was perhaps the only country having two international stadiums in Delhi and Chandigarh, and the FIH move to hold many more tournaments in the coming years was because of India’s capacity to generate huge sponsorship money.

“India is the cash cow of the FIH, as no other country can generate as much money for the world body by way of sponsorship, as in India. They made a booty from the World Cup, and they are now looking to generate more money from the country”, Gill told The Tribune.

He said it was unfortunate that the FIH president was trying to kick up a row regarding the conduct of the WSH as his statement that unless the players play under the Hockey India banner, they would face censure.