Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

IHF suspension

The editorial “Well deserved suspension” (April 30) has unambiguously summarised the reasons for the decline of hockey in the last three decades under the stewardship of K.P.S. Gill. The honourable way out for Mr. Gill would have been to tender his resignation as IHF president when the Indian team failed to qualify for the Olympics at Santiago.

Again, instead of taking moral responsibility for the Jothikumaran episode, he decided to stick to his guns. The rot on the ground stems from the rot at the top. Under the circumstances, the suspension of the IHF is a welcome relief.

The Indian Olympic Association’s decision to form an ad hoc committee to run the affairs of the game, it is hoped, will put Indian hockey back on the world map.

Capt. T. Raju (retd.),

Secunderabad

Following the sting operation showing the former IHF secretary accepting money on camera for allegedly including a player in the national team, the IOA has done what it ought to have done after the Chile debacle. It has also done well to start from scratch by appointing an ad hoc committee to run the show.

While bringing a total turnaround in the sagging fortunes of Indian hockey is not going to be easy, we can at least expect a sincere effort in that direction from those at the helm. Never have the results of a sting operation been so sweet.

Suresh Manoharan,

Hyderabad

Mr. Gill sat like Nero while the hockey empire he headed burnt like Rome around him. Our hockey team failed to qualify for the Olympics for the first time in 80 years when he was the top administrator of the game. He did not wake up even when his secretary was shown accepting money on camera. Anyone in his place would have resigned on his own after the sting operation owning moral responsibility, but not Mr. Gill.

Worse, he tried to defend the indefensible. With pressure from the International Hockey Federation mounting, the IOA had no option but to disband the IHF and send Mr. Gill and his coterie packing. One hopes the ad hoc panel which will run the affairs of the game will be professional. Hockey has reached its nadir and it should be managed by men who are truly in love with the game, not by retired bureaucrats.

J. Akshay,

Secunderabad

The article “IOA should steer clear of further controversies” (April 30) has rightly pointed out that the IOA should not delay the return of democracy to IHF. Each sport must possess a parent body of its own. Ardent sports lovers will be happy if the IOA does not take advantage of the situation in which hockey is today. It is certainly not difficult to find a dedicated set of persons to run the affairs of the game.

P.R. Viswanathan,

Bangalore

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Nepal and India
Ominous warning
The man who turned Russia around
100 days to Beijing Olympics
Is brain training really best way to boost IQ?
First victims of climate change will be children
Are germs good for you?
Corrections and clarifications
Significant
Judicial activism
IHF suspension
On cheerleading

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu