BHOPAL: The Indian sports fraternity continues to be on the boil. Close on the heels of Indian men’s hockey team striking work it is now their counterparts, the Indian women hockey team, that has braced to confront the Hockey India, (HI), management to attract attention to their woes of non-payment of their dues but in a unique style.

The Indian women hockey team instead of stopping to play sported black bands on Thursday while going through their practice schedule at a national camp in the Sports Authority of India’s Central Regional Centre here in Bhopal in protest against their financial demands being not met by Hockey India.

The players had apprised the decision to Chief Coach M.K. Kaushik, the ex-Olympian. The coach said he had no objection so long the players continue preparations for the Commonwealth Games and the World Cup.

Talking to media persons captain of Indian women hockey team Surinder Kaur and Mamta Kharab said that the players are demanding a stipend and resorted to black bands as four days have passed without any positive indication from the HI management.

Kaur said that the country and hockey are more important to all of us and that is why practice will continue and we will try to perform outstandingly in competitions.

“My teammates are facing heavy financial woes and Hockey India is unable to give enough aid. I am committed to helping them,” she said.

Mamta Kharab said: “Hockey India has agreed to pay incentives to the men’s hockey team, and we want the same for us too.”

“ We wanted to take some steps but former president A K Mattoo assured that we will get what we deserve. But it didn’t happen. We won’t go on strike as we love our game and our country,” she said. The team wanted to be treated at par with the men’s hockey squad, she added.

The uniqueness of their protest is not just sporting black bands but four of the players have opened a joint account in a bank and urged people to donate. More than 35 players are taking part in the camp.

On Wednesday, four seniors — Surinder Kaur, Dipika Murty, Mamta Kharab and Subhadra Pradhan — opened a joint account in their names with the Syndicate Bank in Bhopal, with the mandate from the other girls in the camp. They made token contributions before requesting hockey-loving public to join the cause.

The team has donated Rs. 20,000 to goalkeeper E. Rajani for the treatment of her father, who is suffering from kidney ailment, informed Dipika Murthy. Rajani, a player from Andhra Pradesh, has three sisters and a brother. The family is too poor to bear the expenses of the father’s ailment. 

Meanwhile, it may be mentioned here that a crisis ahead of the Hockey World Cup in New Delhi next month ended on Jan. 13 after the authorities paid about Rs. 10 millions to clear the dues of the men’s team for its podium finishes in 2009 that stayed away from practice in Pune.

Indian hockey plunged into a deep crisis when the players boycotted practice in Pune over non-payment of 2009 dues and Hockey India failed to quell the rebellion with mere assurances.

Meanwhile, according to media reports India’s women hockey team has spurned the Hockey India’s offer of Rs.50,000 each as incentive for their performance last year was not acceptable as it is measly. They said they will accept nothing less than Rs.3 lakh each.

The HI acting president Vidya Stokes reportedly said that HI has also requested the sports ministry to reward the girls with Rs.1 lakh each for winning the silver medal in the Asia Cup.

However, the girls at the national camp here were not impressed and rejected both offers outright, saying that it was too little and too late.