New Delhi, January 11
Hockey India today toughened its stand on the striking national players when it gave them an ultimatum to either resume the national camp at Pune or face severe consequences.
An Hockey India key official said the players were taking the country to “ransom” by refusing to rejoin the ongoing camp in Pune, after they had agreed to abide by the suggestions put forward by HI after a marathon, five-hour discussion with the players’ representatives in Delhi on Saturday.
Hockey India also got a shot in the arm when International Hockey Federation (FIH) vice-president Antonio von Ondarza “condemned” the players’ strike. He said such things did not happen anywhere else in the world and this was not the time for the Indian players to strike.
“India should concentrate on the World Cup. This is a (players’ strike) a wrong step”, Ondarza said after his meeting with HI officials. “Some external forces are engineering trouble in the team. They (players) have done a volte face after agreeing to the suggestions of Hockey India for whatever reason”, said adviser of HI Anupam Gulati.
Hockey India president A.K.Mattoo also felt that it was not the time for the players to strike. “They should be concentrating on the World Cup preparation, as the country’s image and prestige was involved”, said Mattoo.
Anupam Gulati said there was an alternative plan for Hockey India if the striking players did not rejoin the hockey camp. “The players may face severe punitive action if they don’t resume the camp. We will give them time till tomorrow morning. After that it’s presumed that ‘you are
not interested in the colours of the country, playing for the country, but only interested
in money’ “, Gulati elaborated.
HI president Mattoo also said that the players would face action if they did not join the camp. He said action against the errant players was one option he was considering, which he may enforce “today, tomorrow or any other day” though he was not in favour of suspending the players.
Mattoo said the national campers were being “misled and wrongly advised” by some vested interests. Gulati said the players demanded money owed to them from 2008, monthly salaries etc. which were not possible for the Hockey India to fulfil as the present body was an ad hoc one, and the players were told that their case would be forwarded to the new, properly elected body once the Hockey India elections were completed.
“And they agreed to the HI proposals at Saturday’s meeting, but within 24 hours they changed their stand, for some strange reason”, said Gulati. He said some vested interests were trying to sabotage the preparation of the national team in Pune as they did not want “Indian hockey to look up”.
He said Saturday’s lengthy meeting with the players was attended by Mattoo, Government observers Ajitpal Singh and Zafar Iqbal, Rajiv Mehta and Jagbir Singh among others.
“If they don’t rejoin the camp, Hockey India will take a strong stand, and the players will have to face the consequences. But we hope right sense will prevail,” Gulati added.
Meanwhile, Hockey India has rushed Maharashtra official Imran Khan to Pune to broker peace with the players who have once again stayed away from the national camp.
