Dirty game of Indian hockey

In the history of Indian hockey there has been no bigger fact that, who ever organizes hockey nationals is sure to win the top seat of Indian hockey (administration). This time IHF hosted hockey nationals and thus have tried to become messiah of Indian hockey. Everyone is happy with the move of organizing nationals expect ruling party HI. War of words between HI and IHF does not seem to end and it will not end unless one of the groups is disbanded forever (I wish Hockey India is thrown out).

HI has threatened players, officials and umpires with dire consequences for taking part in the current event while K P S Gill-led IHF says the warning is meaningless because only his body has the official mandate. HI has already issued warning to players and teams participating in the competition, organised by the Madhya Pradesh Directorate of Youth Affairs and Sports, but IHF president KPS Gill has termed them meaningless.

This time big mouth of Hockey India has attacked the Madhya Pradesh government. Hockey India and the state’s Sports Directorate are at loggerheads since the latter has been hosting the Indian Hockey Federation-organised national championship in Bhopal, a move that has not gone down well with the officially recognised apex body of the sport.

On Thursday, the directorate issued a legal notice to Batra and HI advisor Anupam Gulati asking them to apologise or face legal action after the duo criticised the sports director in alleged comments to a local daily here. “Chaudhary is seeking proximity with Gill for vested interests. Vested interest drove Chaudhary to organise the event, putting the future of upcoming players at stake,“ Batra was quoted as saying by the daily

Anupam Gulati also said that the players who represented their state teams in the tournaments will never play for national team.

Madhya Pradesh government has meanwhile issued a legal notice to Hockey India for statements given by Narinder Batra and Anupam Gulati.

Meanwhile, Narinder Batra claimed that he never made any derogatory remarks against any individual. “I was asked for my comments on sending the Indian team for the Asian Games by IHF, and I didn’t comment against any individual,“ Batra told HT . “Let them send as many as notices they can. I don’t care about such people, and they are the people dividing Indian hockey.“

Incidents like these are just causing problems for Indian hockey. With no news in media regarding on the field action ( national team playing in Belgium and nationals going on), hockey is more in news for the mud throwing off the field. Indian Olympic Association will have to take a decision regarding who will run the game in future. Unless IOA takes action, nothing can stop the downfall of hockey. The people heading the game are power hungry people (read: Narinder Batra and Vidya Stokes), they won’t stop until they have hockey running under their nose. The Olympic association has to remove these people from the helm or else, Chile disaster will happen again and this time on a bigger scale. The even God won’t be able to save Indian hockey.