Hockey India decides not to send Under-18 team in Junior Men’s Asia Cup Hockey tournament: Hockey News
Hockey India has decided not to send their Under-18 hockey team in the upcoming Junior Men’s Asia Cup Hockey tournament, which is scheduled to be held in Singapore, from June 17, 2011.
Having won the inaugural edition of the tournament, the decision of Hockey India seemed very strange as all of the Asian hockey giants including Pakistan, South Korea and Malaysia, will be in the battle for the title.
It is seemed that Hockey India is unaware of the fact that the tournament is approved by the Federation of International Hockey (FIH).
“Hockey India is not sending a team for the junior men’s Asia Cup because we have not selected a team and our Nationals will be held in July. The tournament is not even recognized by the FIH and its scheduling is also very strange because it started way
back in 2001 and then it took eight years to stage its second edition,” Anupam Gulati, the Executive Director of Hockey India told to one of the popular local newspapers.
Gulati also added that they have decided to send their Under-18 Women’s team for participation in the Junior Women’s Asia Cup, which is going to be held during the next month in Bangkok, Thailand.
Unfortunately, since its existence, Hockey India could not manage to conduct junior nationals and due to the reason, a considerable number of former coaches of Indian hockey seemed unsatisfied and uncertain for the future of hockey in India.
“We have very limited resources as for as the senior team is concerned, and because Hockey India is not grooming juniors, it is likely to have an adverse effect on the future of the senior team,” a former Coach of Indian hockey stated.
Moreover, Pargat Singh, the Chairman of the Development Committee of Hockey India, told that they have not come across any proposal from Hockey India for the selection of junior team for the upcoming event in Singapore.
Instead of solving the problems relating to hockey affairs in the country, Hockey India is more involved in politics and is fighting for its status to become the only governing body of national sport, hockey, in the country.
The current situation of the dealings is not good as India is to host the next versions of both of the Junior World Cups, Men’s and also Women’s.
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