Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Hockey debacle

The failure of the Indian hockey team to qualify for the Beijing Olympics reminds us of the Indian cricket team’s defeat in the match against Bangladesh during the World Cup in 2007. The impact the two losses created among their fans is similar, so are the reasons for the defeats. Team selection for both games suffered and was at the peak of controversies. While in cricket, seniority outweighed talent, in hockey politics outweighed talent. Any regular fan of hockey knows how veterans of the game have been humiliated over a period, with their selection always remaining a question mark.

Uncertainties in both games will continue to exist till our selection process is refined and insulated from politics. Particularly in hockey, which is played by more number of nations, if we fail to gear up now, we may be beyond redemption soon.

K.S. Venkatasubramanian,
Erode

The hockey team has never been in the nation’s reckoning. When it has won, the players have not been given the recognition and attention given to cricketers. They have become a neglected lot. Now that they have lost, the entire country is throwing brickbats at them. Is it not a shame on us? I appeal to the hockey team not to give up, and I request the government to look into the needs of those who play our national game.

Cajetan Peter D’Souza,
Mumbai

V. Rajagopalan,
Kumbakonam

The tragedy was waiting to happen. As our national game, hockey never got the attention and response it deserved. The media are also partially responsible for diverting the nation’s attention to cricket. The sports authorities never responded to complaints of unfair selection and lack of facilities and funds.

Ritu Sejwal,
New Delhi

There is no point in crying hoarse that we, eight-time champions, are nowhere today. When were we champions? When other countries barely knew how to play hockey. Today, most of the countries have learnt hockey (from us) and improvised it. People at the helm who promote hockey should concentrate on developing the skills and techniques to outperform other countries. They should learn from cricket, which has changed according to the times.

Joseph P. Sahayam,
Chennai

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