Dhanraj Pillay shares sympathy for players being warned to participate in the WSH: Hockey News
Dhanraj Pillay, a former Indian hockey player, has stated his sympathy for the hockey players that do not usually get a break in international meets and had a chance to be a part of a huge international competition, World Series Hockey (WSH), organised with
mutual efforts of Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) and an old sports partner, Nimbus.
The International Hockey Federation (FIH) had recently sent a notice of the unrecognised Indian Hockey Federation’s (IHF) planned International event, WSH and has also threatened the players that whoever participates in this unrecognised event will be ruled
out of all FIH’s internationally organised hockey events.
This threatening news was brought up due to the fact that the IHF is not the recognised sport body. It is Hockey India (HI) who is affiliated with the FIH for organising hockey events for the country.
This multi-million dollar competition was the only hope for the inhabitant players of the team, but have become hesitant to avail the opportunity due to a chance of being ruled out of the 2012 Olympic Games.
According to the FIH, “Any actor and any NA (national Association) that participates in a WSH might describe that actor and NA incompetent to attend in any FIH tournament, including Olympic Qualifying tournaments and the Olympic Games.”
Pillay described how sorry he was for the players and coaches, who lost such potential opportunity. He also favoured the two bodies trying to pull out such efforts into hockey, since it has been one of the lowest paid sports of all times. The high-earning
players could have secured their future in terms of their career as well as for their family.
The four-time Olympian condemned the controversy prevailing in the country, regarding the actual authorised hockey body for India, despite the verdict of Delhi High Court that favoured HI as the representative for FIH. According to him, there is a strong
need of supervision by the government to step in and make a decision about who actually will be running hockey in India.
Pillay, one of the nominees for the Indian hockey team’s national coach, said, “I wish organisers can stretch some kind of an agreement with a FIH. This will be an advantage not usually a diversion for the inhabitant players, who can afterwards contest in
a Olympic Qualifiers after this year with a giveaway mind.”
On the other hand, Pillay also pointed towards Nimbus and IHF’s failure to get the WSH recognised by the universal central body of hockey, FIH.
On the whole, Pillay feels optimistic that all will end up well, keeping the 2012 London Olympic Games in mind.
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