The Hindu : Sport / Hockey : A grim scene

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Sunday, Aug 29, 2010
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Sport - Hockey

A grim scene

V.V. Subrahmanyam

HYDERABAD: On the eve of the National Sports Day, also the birth anniversary of hockey legend Dhyan Chand, there is a sense of despondency in the hockey fraternity in Hyderabad. Not that the city has a great history in producing outstanding players, but as things stand (the Association almost in a limbo thanks to the confusion at the national level), many critics doubt whether Hyderabad can produce another international even in the distant future.

“Where are the tournaments,” ask both triple Olympian Mukesh Kumar and the 1996 Atlanta Olympics goalkeeper Edwards Alloysius. Incidentally, they are the only two players from Hyderabad to represent India in the Olympics.

Anguish

The anguish of these two stalwarts is understandable when they recall how they grew up the hard way, grappling with the basics on the dusty strip at Gymkhana Grounds thanks to dedicated coaches like Abharanam and Dorai Swamy.

“Now, you have a world-class hockey complex in Gachibowli with two astro-turfs. But at the same time the Begumpet astro turf stadium is out of bounds with Police Department having taken complete control. So, what is the use of these grounds if no one plays on them,” argue these two Olympians.

The last major event at the Gachibowli hockey complex was the 2008 Junior Asia Cup. Even the national camps which were a regular feature in the past are not conducted here anymore.

Both Mukesh and Alloysius emphasise that there is no point in merely garlanding the statue of Dhyan Chand every August 29 and paying tributes.

“It is time we did more than this annual ritual and initiate steps to make optimum use of the hockey complex by ensuring that the young players play in tournaments.”

They fear if this state of affairs continues, soon there will be no kids to play the sport.

Alloysius, who was coaching youngsters at Gymkhana Grounds during the summer holidays, lost interest later because of the bureaucratic hurdles and ego problems of some of the coaches.

Lack of atmosphere

There are some who ask why these Olympians never come to the ground every morning to train youngsters before recommending them to practise on astro-turf at Gachibowli. “There can be no better champions than these two, to identify talent and help SAAP in promoting hockey,” says a senior official.

To this, both Mukesh and Alloysius insist that if the right kind of ambience and atmosphere are there they will definitely help.

The State Government is scheduling another ‘routine' function at Gachibowli Complex — garlanding the Dhyan Chand statue and organizing a friendly match on Sunday.

But, will there be the drastic change required in the sport's administration to once again let the young talent pursue their interest? “Something has to be done to revive hockey in a big way or else it will face a slow death,” warn both Mukesh and Alloysius.

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