Politics within the factions of Indian hockey has brought the sport to a new low. The land of Dhyanchand lost the rights to host the most prestigious annual competition organised by the International Hockey Federation (FIH).
The issue has raised questions on the way our national sport is being managed in India. Members of the sports fraternity Speak Up:
Dirty politics in management has cost us the hosting rights
How long will the International Hockey Federation (FIH) tolerate the nonsense going on in our country? Can’t we, as adults understand, where we are going wrong with hockey? Our team is winning matches against South Korea, China and Japan; they are really good, and here we have lost the right to host the Champions Trophy.
For the good of the nation, the senior people involved in the governance of hockey in India must stop fighting with each other and get together for the betterment of hockey. So much of dirty politics is going on in the governance of hockey in India. I feel sad about the whole issue.
The organisers on both the sides should give it up and come together. For so many years, the FIH has been trying to bring together the Hockey India (HI) and the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) - the two bodies governing the game in India. But everybody is interested in holding on to their chairs; nobody is bothered about the game.
Arnavaz Damania, former president, Indian Women’s Hockey Federation
We need to bring in young people in governing bodies
I am fed up with these associations. The problem with them is that they are run by old members. There are members on these boards who don’t even know anything about the game. Whenever matches are played they come as spectators and that’s it. We need to bring in people from the younger generation into the governing bodies.
I would blame the hockey federations in the country for the poor governance of the game and for losing the hosting rights of this year’s Champions Trophy. The senior members of the federations are just busy fighting among themselves.
To improve the state of hockey in our country, the players have to start playing on synthetic turf. To be the best in hockey, we must prove that we are good and that will not happen until we have Astro-turf grounds and the age limit of our players is restricted between 18 and 24 years. Other countries are doing well because the players there start playing at a very young age and practice only on synthetic turf.
Marian D’Souza, hockey coach, St Anne’s School
The two hockey federations in India are the real culprits
This is big setback for our national game.
After successfully conducting the Cricket World Cup, India had another opportunity to organise a mega event in the country, but now it is a dream. The two governing bodies -Hockey India and Indian Hockey Federation — are the culprits. They have ruined the game. The sports ministry has also played its role in bringing our country to this state.
The FIH’s decision has tarnished the image of our country. The upcoming players are the ones who will suffer the most due to this decision. They were robbed of their chance to play an important game. This could also be a deterrent for the
youngsters to pick up the hockey stick. They would think twice before playing the national game of our country.
Firoz Shaikh, national umpire
It is a wake-up call for the governing bodies in India
This is something very bad that has happened to the game in our country.It is a shame and disgrace that the eight-time Olympic champions were treated this way. What are the people holding tops posts in the federations doing? Are they promoting the game or trying to ruin it. I feel they are doing the latter. The sufferers are the players and if this continues, I am afraid that this game will be done to death quite fast.
This is a wake-up call for those in Hockey India (HI) and Indian Hockey Federation (IHF). It is high time that they start doing something drastic for this game to survive. I am sure that due to this infighting, we will have very few youngsters taking this game seriously.
Ikram Khan, secretary, Maharashtra Hockey Association
Differences were not resolved despite repeated warnings
What a shame that a tournament like the Champions Trophy has been taken away from us; all because of the clowns in Hockey India (HI), the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) and the sports ministry. Hockey is our national game and this is what is happening. It is shocking. It is an insult to India.
I cannot imagine that this is real. I do not blame the FIH, as they are going by the rule book. They have been cautioning us from time to time, but nothing concrete was done to bring together the warring factions.
This will be a major setback for the players, especially the younger generation that wants to play this game. They would not think twice before giving up on the game, as they don’t have a future with these clowns doing nothing for the game.
Salamat Irani, former state player & hockey enthusiast
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