Times of India: Waveriders sack Harjot, player alleges foul play

By Jaspreet Sahni

CHANDIGARH: Considered PR Sreejesh’s backup and India’s No. 2 goalkeeper not too long ago, custodian Harjot Singh has been expelled by his Hockey India League franchise, the Delhi Waveriders, in controversial circumstances.
Harjot, who was recently appointed a sub-inspector in the Punjab Police, claims that despite repeated reminders, the franchise did not request his employer to relieve him for the training camp and the HIL that begins on Saturday.
As a result, Harjot was unable to report for the camp that commenced on January 12, and Delhi Waveriders then shot him a mail informing about the termination of his contract with immediate effect. Interestingly, Hockey India (HI) did send a letter to Punjab Police for relieving Harjot and other players, but the department wanted a letter from the franchises as well.

“The DGP told me to ask the franchise to send a similar letter (as HI), but despite me calling them for the same several times, they did not send it, and instead sacked me.

“All they sent me was a train ticket to report for the camp on January 12, but the DGP never received any request from them,” the man from Hathoor in district Moga, Punjab, rued. In the mail sent by Delhi Waveriders’ management, the franchise, which will be led by Rupinder Pal Singh said: “As you are aware, we have no time left with us to do the preparations for the season and therefore, we cannot tolerate any such absence. In view of this, we hereby cancel your contract with immediate effect.”

Harjot then mailed his response: “At the outset, I am really shocked… I would like to inform you that as per my mobile calls made to you on the 11th and 12th January , you had directed me to get in touch with Mr. Abhishek in your office, which I readily did…in spite of my repeated calls to Abhishek, I was told by him that he would call me back, which he didn’t.

“I had also informed that since I have joined Punjab Police, my letter of release should be sent to the department as was done by other team franchises with regard to the release of other players from Punjab Police,” he wrote. On January 4, along with Harjot, Manpreet Singh, Dharamvir Singh, Akashdeep Singh, Sarvanjit Singh and Ramandeep Singh were al so appointed by Punjab Police.

When TOI tried to contact Delhi coach Cedric D’souza, he remained unavailable. However, the media wing of the franchise sent an official response of the coach via whatsapp, without mentioning the reason for not requesting Punjab Police to relieve Harjot. “As Harjot Singh did not report for the training sessions, we could not include him in the team. At this point of time, when the tournament is just about to begin, our focus is on training of the players. It is not possible for a player to directly take the field without training,” the statement said.

But Harjot believes there is more to it than what meets the eye since he already conveyed what was required for him to join the camp on time.

“It seems they already had some other goalkeeper in mind,” Harjot alleged. Otherwise, why would all other franchises send letters to request the release of other players employed with Punjab Police, but not Delhi Waveriders!”