Saturday, February 27, 2010

Demo-crack-stick of democratic hockey




With only a few days left in the inauguration ceremony of the twelfth hockey world cup, Indian Olympic Association chief Suresh Kalmadi offered national team's official sponsor Shara's chief Subroto Rai Sahara to become Hockey India's president. Again, after facing all the issues from national players and sports ministry the care takers of the Indian hockey don't think about the welfare of the game.
At one front the man, who saved the national game from seeing the worst day by paying all the players their due, once again comes forward and rejects Kalmadi's offer very politely and says that he is already too busy and would not be able to do justice to the post.
At another front, IOC, the ultimate care taker of the game applies its right and forget policy.
IOA in January had written to the sports ministry that during the Hockey India's election the returning officer should in no way be connected with Hockey India or IOA. But in the same month IOA appoints G S Mander, president of Wrestling Federation of India which comes under the association.
Actually IOA or its chief I should say has never been interested in the welfare of national sports until and unless it is in his favour.
HI is not at all interested in holding the elections and making itself a democratic body because Kalmadi, who wants to head HI, failed to get a nomination from Maharashtra.
Former Indian captain and now Hockey Punjab secretary Pargat Singh had also alleged that Kalamadi's representative told Pargat that if he chooses Kalmadi as Hockey India chief Hockey Punjab will get the affiliation. Pargat then termed Kalmadi as a 'sports mafia'.
Pargat Singh is also ambitious of getting a big post in HI, but his remarks can not be overruled.
Sports Minister M S Gill had also raised questions on HI's electoral college and said that state units like Bombay, Madras and Bengal had been in existence for many decades and they should be included in the electoral role. Doubting the transparency in the electoral process the minister had also said that there should be openness in the entire process.
The world body of hockey, FIH, had repeatedly said that an elected HI should be in the place before the world cup, but Indians are the best to dribble any ball (off the court).
When Rajasthan High Court stayed the election over the issue of affiliations granted to the state units, HI did not try to get the stay vacated.
Instead of that HI went ahead and did what it ultimately wanted and deferred the elections for third time.

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