Haryana hockey: Coaches, players raise questions

How can an individual, all by herself, select a state hockey team, appoint herself as the coach, and then eventually go as the captain of the team to the National Games? Players and coaches from Haryana are up in arms and have questioned the Sports Minister and the sports secretary’s role as mute spectators.

Former India player Pritam Siwach has been selected the captain of the state team for the ucpoming National Games in Kerala. Siwach, who quit six years back (2008), first acted as the selector, nominated herself as the coach of the team but will be playing as the skipper now. Her husband Kuldeep Siwach instead would be coaching the team now. The 18-member squad has 13 players from Sonepat, all training under Pritam Siwach.

The three-member committee constituted by IOA to sponsor the participation of Haryana teams has already washed its hands off the issue. Dalel Singh, a member of the committee, said, “We have no role in t he selection process. Our function is just to forward the names provided by the associations to the IOA. If there is any discrepancy, the aggrieved person should approach Hockey India (HI), their parent body.

Hisar-based hockey player Udita, who was sidelined during the selection, said, “The selection process is flawed. Last year there were only two players from Sonepat in the Haryana team. How come there are 13 players this time for the National Games. The state government should intervene.”

Shahbad coach Baldev Singh said, “Either the sports minister and secretary does not know of these developments or are not concerned.”

Coach Azad Malik has questioned the entire selection criteria and asked to make the details public. “They should tell when and where trials were announced. Where was the conditioning camp held? Who all were the coaching staff and how many girls took part in the camp,” he asked.