Not a knee-jerk reaction: Sports ministry

BANGALORE: The sports ministry rejected the notion that Ajay Maken’s announcement of cash awards for the Indian hockey team on Wednesday was a knee-jerk reaction to the bad publicity the game got after players rejected Hockey India’s offer of Rs 25,000.

“It does not work that way. The letter from HI secretary-general Narendra Batra to the sports minister, requesting the ministry to announce a suitable reward is coincidental,” sources told TOI.

“The ministry does not believe in announcing cash awards. Once our athletes win medals or tournaments the awards follow automatically,” sources told TOI.

On Tuesday, sports minister Maken announced cash awards of Rs 1.5 lakh each to the players and Rs 75,000 each for the coach and support staff after HI said that “it was not in a financial position to grant more reward money.”

The victory at the Asian Champions Trophy is being placed on par with Asian and Commonwealth championships for which the award amount, in the case of individual sport, is Rs 3 lakh.

“This amount will be multiplied five times in case of a team sport comprising more than 10 members,” the sources said. “However, no member of the team will get less than 50 % of the original award amount (Rs 3 lakh). That’s how the figure of Rs 1.5 lakh was arrived at.”

At the press meet, Maken blamed the internal problems plaguing hockey administration.

“The players did the right thing by rejecting HI’s cash award. The federation should have consulted me before announcing the award,” said Maken.

So why didn’t he announce it on Tuesday? “The scheme was already there in public domain and I thought it was not required to make it public again. This is not a pittance, it is what they deserve. I spoke to HI secretary general Narendra Batra and told him if he wanted to reward the players we could have done it together so that the players got Rs 1.75 lakh each.”

Maken was critical of Punjab government’s cash reward of Rs 25 lakh for the players.

“It is a case of one-upmanship. I am not going to judge whether state governments have actually translated their announcements into action but as far as we are concerned we have actually given the cash awards to deserving players,” he said.

“I request the state governments to come forward and not only announce but give cash rewards. But please do not go in for one-upmanship,” he said.

Former players too criticised the decision.

Former hockey captain Pargat Singh came in support of the players who rejected Hockey India’s Rs 25,000 cash reward for winning the Asian Champions Trophy, saying that it was an insult to them to have offered a paltry amount.

“I think the whole thing has been mishandled. From my point of view, we should not give such small amount to the players, that too in a public function. Definitely, it is an insult to them,” Pargat, who is currently Punjab Sports Director, said.

Former player Gaganajit Singh, who is employed with Punjab Police, said that the players did not deserve such treatment after winning the Asian Champions Trophy.

FIGHT FOR MONEY

2007: The Asia Cup in Chennai was quite an eye-opener in terms of cash awards. IHF announced Rs 1,000 per goal per player during the tournament but the media conveniently misread it as Rs 1,000 per goal for the entire team. Permutations and fractions were aired on television channels before the matter died a slow death.

The Asia Cup triumph saw Karnataka players and coach threaten a hunger strike. This was also followed by a demand for a better deal for the Indian hockey team. This was spurred by the rousing reception the Indian cricket team got for winning the T20 World Cup.

2010: Hockey players went on a strike just before the World Cup demanding contracts and graded payments and cash awards for tournaments won. Talks with Hockey India failed after the federation said it would pay Rs 25,000 per player when actually the amount each of them had to get ran into lakhs. Sahara and IOA chief Suresh Kalmadi stepped in to stem the rot.

Also, other corporates and governments announced awards for the players.

2011: Indian team rejects reward. Soon, the ministry announces Rs 1.5 lakh per player from their special awards scheme.