BHOPAL: The Indian sports managers mud-slanging continues as sportspersons suffer. Close on the heels of former hockey Olympian and India’s former captain Pargat Singh another ex-Olympian Ashok Kumar has reportedly held Indian Olympic Association, (IOA), chief Suresh Kalmadi responsible for all the mess in Indian hockey and also for the postponement of the Feb. 7 Hockey India, (HI), elections.
Ashok, son of yesteryears legendry Indian hockey player Major Dhyanchand, said that because Kalmadi was lobbying to get the HI top post, elections for the hockey body were being deferred repeatedly.
Ashok, who is presently chief coach in the Bhopal-based Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy, said that the ad-hoc committee of HI should also be equally blamed for the postponement of the elections and also for the present condition of hockey in the country.
He pointed out that the ongoing protest of Indian women hockey team players against HI over the non-payment of their dues and shabby treatment meted out to them is a classic example of HI’s lackadaisical approach toward India’s national game.
It may be mentioned here that the Indian women hockey team instead of stopping to play have been sporting black arm-bands since Thursday last while going through their practice schedule at the national training camp in Bhopal in the Sports Authority of India’s Central Regional Center here in protest against non-payment of their dues and other benefits accrued to them being by Hockey India.
Meanwhile, on Saturday last ex-Olympian Pargat Singh had launched a scathing attack on Kalmadi, calling him a “sports mafia” who is trying to become the Hockey India chief by hook or crook.
It was for the first time in the last two decades that Kalmadi has been challenged by a sportsperson of Pargat’s stature who has taken the IOA president head on.
Pargat had said the hockey regime under KPS Gill was far better than the current regime and claimed that it’s Kalmadi who is calling the shots in the present set-up.
“Let’s have it on one-to-one basis and see how popular he (Kalmadi) is. He has made a mockery of hockey. He is a destructive and greedy mind,” an agitated Pargat had told media persons.
However, Kalmadi rubbishing former captain Pargat Singh’s allegation that he is hell bent on becoming the Hockey India president, had said he is so pre-occupied with this year’s Commonwealth Games that he simply doesn’t have the time or interest for the HI job.
“I am the President of the Indian Olympic Association and Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the Commonwealth Games, which keeps me fully occupied. I have no time or interest in taking over hockey,” Kalmadi had said in a statement.
