The Hindu : Sport : Hockey's demotion won't make any impact: Gill

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 11, 2007
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Hockey's demotion won't make any impact: Gill

New Delhi: Unperturbed by Sports Ministry's decision to demote the National game, the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) on Thursday said it would not have much impact on the sport because the Federation was hardly getting any assistance from the Ministry.

"I don't think it's going to have much of an impact on Indian hockey. It only means that you will get less fund and we have not been getting much assistance from the Ministry anyway. So in real terms, it is not going to have much effect on the game," IHF President K.P.S Gill said. Sports Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar told Parliament on Wednesday that men's hockey had been "demoted" from the `Priority' to the `General' category because of the continuous poor performance of the team in all major tournaments in the recent past.

Along with men's hockey, the Sports Ministry also downgraded football, taek-wondo, swimming, cycling, volleyball, fencing and karate.

Squash, wushu and kayaking/ canoeing are the three disciplines which were promoted to the `Priority' category.

Gill was not ready to call it a setback for hosting the 2010 World Cup either.

Meanwhile, K. Jothikumaran, Secretary, IHF, requested the government to reconsider its decision. "This is a crucial juncture when our National game requires and deserves full support from the government and hope the government will provide full support in all respects to help the team qualify for the Olympics," Jothikumaran said. — PTI

Sports Reporter adds from Chennai

Meanwhile, N. Ramachandran, Secretary General of the Squash Rackets Federation of India, expressed happiness at the news that squash had being brought into the priority list as per the latest ratings by the Union Sports Ministry.

"I am truly delighted," Mr. Ramachandran said.

He said this would provide greater opportunities for every squash player to play in tournaments abroad and also train outside the country. Mr. Ramachandran also noted that the upgradation of the sport would boost the infrastructural development activity in squash.

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