Take over Hockey India: Gurbax, Aslam, Shetty appeal to govt

CHENNAI: Demanding the resignation of the officials of crisis-hit Hockey India, Olympian Gurbax Singh Grewal and two senior administrators appealed to the government to take over the body to successfully host the World Cup next month in New Delhi.

In an appeal to Union Sports Minister M S Gill, Grewal, former HI Secretary Aslam Khan and Karnataka Hockey President R S Shetty said successful conduct of the world cup was important in the context of the Commonwealth Games to be hosted by India later this year.

“Commonwealth Games is a most prestigious event and the country’s prestige is involved,” they said adding that a series of mistakes had been commited in the past resulting in the resignation of experienced persons, including A K Mattoo as HI President besides consultant Ric Charlesworth.

Criticising the present set up in the HI, they said the officials, including Indian Olympic Association President Suresh Kalmadi, would bring “bad repute” to the country.

Lapses in the conduct of the World Cup would only put India in bad light world over, they added.

“In the last two years, they had committed blunders. We cannot spell out certain shameful acts committed by them under the stewardship of Kalmadi,” Grewal and Shetty said.

“It is high time that the Union Government and the sports ministry step in to uphold the prestige of the country with the World Cup round the corner,” they said.

Gurbax and Shetty suggested that the “Government should head the committee and induct experienced people like former star Pargat Singh.”

Though Aslam did not talk about de-recognised IHF, both Gurbax and Shetty said, “HI did not get World Cup to India. If Kalmadi continues to seek advises from IHF President KPS Gill even to resolve the players issue on payment besides seeking his assistance in deciding Delhi’s recognition, the government has him (Gill) in the committee.”

Shetty said the country should get out of the FIH control in national affairs of hockey. “We can sort out our own problems. Elections to HI should be held without any bias after the World Cup.”

Aslam said, “Going by the series of blunders witnessed in the running of HI and the disgraceful manner of functioning of persons including Suresh Kalmadi, I am of the opinion that Government of India should set in motion a committee of experienced persons including Olympians like Pargat Singh and run the World Cup, which belong to the FIH.”

“This Committee should run the affairs of Hockey in India till a fair election is held after taking decisions on extension of affiliations to state bodies in a transparent manner,” he said.

Aslam also added that he appeals to Kalmadi to advise the present set of inexperienced people to show magnanimity and resign en-mass accepting responsibility for the blunders committed in HI.

Explaining the reasons for his resignation, Aslam said: “Hockey India is not the right place for any honest person. I had to come out as I could not sustain insults for more than 19 months as HI Secretary.”

Members of HI starting from Aslam Sher Khan, Randhir Singh, Ric (Charlesworth) besides many others had to quit from their respective posts as they were finding it difficult to perform their function in a more transparent manner.

“I too had to resign since players were not paid and sponsor Sahara paid nothing for 19 months and also did not allow us to sign with others like Addidas, Hero Honda and Steel Authority for a total sum of Rs 12 crores,” Aslam said.

“Kalmadi has been ruining Indian sport for years but he should remember that autonomy work two-ways. He never gave any autonomy to sports federations because of whom the IOA and the state bodies are in place. He gave scant regard to this and held on to his sinister moves,” Aslam charged.