With all due respect to Harbhajan Singh, Indian sport was weeded of one of its most controversial personas yesterday with the forcible removal of Mr. KPS Gill, as the president of the IHF. The past few weeks have seen much action on the ‘Hockey Gate’ (calling everything a ‘gate’ seems to be the fashion these days) saga. First, the IHF Secretary K Jothikumaran was caught red handed on tape in a sting operation by Headlines Today, accepting a bribe to ensure selection of players for last years Sultan Azlan Shah trophy. As rediff reported,

The channel claimed that after receiving cash payment of Rs two lakh and taking a promise of another Rs three lakh to be given to his man in Delhi, Jothikumaran assured the channel’s team of getting a player picked for the senior hockey team for the Azlan Shah hockey tournament next month.

Truth be told, the patience with the Indian Hockey establishment had worn thin, after India failed to reach the Olympics for the first time ever, but the IHF president was as nonchalant as ever, even taking on the Union Sports Minister

The minister did make a reference to Jothikumaran saying the public’s faith in him had been “shattered”, but indicated that KPS was equally at fault for the mess Indian hockey was in. His advice to KPS was simple: “I believe, in the totality of the situation, the IHF president must introspect, and review his position. In consideration of the situation facing Indian hockey, I urge him to consider withdrawing from his responsibility. It is time to let other Indians make an attempt to lift our hockey,” he said.
KPS Gill, typically, laughed away the minister’s suggestion and said there was no problem with the selection process. asked about the minister’s remarks and whether he thought that the entire IHF executive committee should take moral responsibility and resign, as Jothikumaran (secretary-general from 1994 and KPS’s right-hand man) was an integral part of it, Gill said: “If that is the case then the entire government should resign (if a member of it faces any allegation).”

It was however left to the FIH to read the riot act to the petulant supremo of the IHF, and sent a stern missive through the IOA, warning them to get their act together or lose the rights to the 2010 World Cup.

Expressing dismay at the state of Indian hockey just a day before an IOA meeting to discuss the bribe scandal involving suspended IHF secretary K Jothikumaran, FIH chief Els van Breda Vriesman said the world body can’t work with a federation whose top official was under investigation following a TV sting operation.

“It (the sting operation) is never heard of in the world of field hockey. I wish the Indian hockey got positive publicity and not this kind. We are in touch with both International Olympic committee and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) how to proceed in such situation,” she told PTI.

“Now the IOA has to manage Indian Hockey Confederation because I don’t think we can work with a half-suspended Secretary General (K Jothikumaran) and a president probably linked because he protects his secretary in this case,” she added. “The agenda before the Indian table is clear. But who is going to take the decisions. It is up to the Indian Olympic Association and the Sports ministry to handle the situation; it is not up to us.

Reacting swiftly, the IOA yesterday in an hurriedly convened meeting , suspended the IHF, effectively sacking Mr. Gill and introduced an interim committee, consisting of erstwhile hockey players to run the show.

While the exit of the president of IHF and his team, is indeed a welcome step, Mr. Kalmadi would do well to ensure that things do not end up in chaos. As Iraq and Pakistan have shown that while dictatorship might be a bad thing, a power vacuum can be devastating.

And as I was checking for references, this piece from Hindustan Times on Women’s hockey that I also check on every now and then, bringing not much good news either.

At least 11 players of the 18-member squad that finished a depressing fourth at the Olympic qualifiers in Kazan (Russia) on Sunday were carrying injuries. In fact, most members of the squad that failed to qualify for the Olympics were considered unfit to play an international-level event.

Interestingly, both the government and the hockey federation were aware of this and still sent them to the prestigious April 19-25 tournament.

Mentioning captain Mamta Kharab, Sabha Anjum, Ritu Rani, Rajwinder Kaur and Deepika Murthy by name, it states: “All the above girls are in the list of 18 players. I don’t know how they will cope up with the fitness of other players when fitness is the prime tactics of winning. Senior players should set up an example for juniors in training.”

While IWHF president Vidya Stokes was in New Delhi but not contactable (we were told she also did not have a mobile phone), repeated attempts to speak to Union Sports Secretary SK Arora were stonewalled by his office. Finally, HT was told that he would not be available on the day, despite the seriousness of the issue being explained to them.

Dont put away the weed-cutter just yet.

First Posted at Prem Panicker's on April 29, 2008.