Dhanraj Pillay asks rebel players not to request Hockey India for rejoining the national team
Dhanraj Pillay, the former skipper of the Indian squad while flaying criticism on Hockey India (HI) asked the five players, who were stopped to join the training camp, not to plead the hockey governing body for getting places in the national team.
It is pertinent to note here that the five players of the Indian hockey team including Adrian D’Souza, Sandeep Singh, Sardara Singh, Arjun Halappa and Prabhjot Singh were served show cause notices following they had attended the media ceremony of the rebel
World Series Hockey (WSH).
Speaking to the media after the inaugural ceremony of maiden Virar-Vasai Mayor Marathon in the coming month, the former skipper was of the opinion that the players should not have to beg the sports governing unit for making a comeback into the national side.
He stated, “They should not fall at the feet of Hockey India officials to play for India.”
It is important to note here that the money-spinning WSH is a mutual project of Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) and Nimbus Communication to promote the sport across the globe. It planned to grab the attention of all hockey players and lovers for the lucrative
annual league. However, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) and Hockey India not only declared the event unofficial but warned the member countries to stay away from the league. Though HI withdrew its stance of banning the federations over the participation
in the profitable league, it did not declare it official and give it legal status.
It seemed that the issue of WSH between IHF and HI would be resolved after the interim merger between the two warring federations. However, it was not done after the world governing body rejected the unification.
After issuing show-cause notices to the five banned players, the high-ups of the federation summoned them in New Delhi seeking their explanations for missing the camp to participate in the WSH promotional event. Pargat Singh – the Chairman of the Disciplinary
Committee of HI earlier recommended strict punishment for the players. However, the final decision is pending with the HI officials.
Former Olympian Pillay also flayed criticism on Pargat saying that he was the brainchild of Suresh Kalmadi – the former Indian Olympic Association (IOA). He further stated that Pargat did not deserve such a senior job in the federation. He stated, “The same
Pargat Singh had called Kalmadi mafia. He took up the job in Hockey India, which has been foisted by Kalmadi once the carrot of a position was dangled in front of him. It’s a very good thing for all Indian players.”
In the concluding lines, he assured his complete support with the rebel league WSH saying that he would ink a deal in this regard at the earliest.
Tags: