BEHIND THE NEWS
Isn't it ironical that an illegal, unconstituonal,unethical and hastily architected body - Hockey India - has implodedunder the weight of its own contradictions? Suresh Kalmadi as IndianOlympic Association president muscled his way into the rot riddentworld of Indian hockey, thinking hijacking it would be a piece ofcake. But Indian hockey so deeply mired in controversy is notsomething one can handle with aplomb. I remember former hockey playerAslam Sher Khan telling me that Kalmadi toh sher ki sawari karnenikala hai (he is trying to ride a tiger) aur ye sher us se hi nigaljayega (and the tiger in turn will maul him. From the dark days of IHFsecretary general Jyothikumaran's bribery scandal and sacking to theso called complete overhaul of the federation by overhauling it,Kalmadi has come full circle. Today's his chosen men - Ashok KumarMattoo and earlier secretary Mohd Aslam Khan - have quit in disgust.What does that tell you, that the rot has spread far and wide inIndia's hockey dispensation. Imagine a gleeful K P S Gill smartingfrom that decision to sack him grinning like a cheshire cat on Sundaywhen the drama unfolded. Remember Gill has got himself elected as aunified Delhi Hockey Association office bearer and now has a shot atbeing elected Hockey India president again on February 7. The conductof Hockey India, its genesis and its very journey so far aresymptomatic of the mismanagement that governs Indian sport wherezamindars and jagirdars continue rule well past their expiry date.
What it also threw into stark relief yet again is that our nationalsport is not hockey, but politics. A deeply hurt Mattoo, furious overthe way Kalmadi stepped in as white knight to defuse the playerrevolt, has probably learnt his lesson after this latest crisis toengulf Indian sport. By sending his resignation to IOA boss Kalmadi,he has signalled the beginning of administrative malfunction,something that we have suspected for long within the OrganisingCommittee main frame. "I have submitted my resignation to Kalmadi andI now want to take retirement from sports administration. I haveserved for 40 years and it has been long and fruitful innings," Matoosaid. Mattoo has done the right thing by taking moral responsibilityfor the player-administrator face off.
But apart from being Hockey India president, Mattoo was also thetreasurer of the IOA and the Organising Commitee of the 2010Commonwealth Games. Asked whether he would reconsider his decision ifKalmadi asks him to, he replied, "No, I have made up my mind and don'twant to get into all these again. I have enjoyed my stint as a sportsadministrator all these years." Mattoo, who is known for hisintegrity, admitted that the allegation levelled against him by thestriking hockey players and some officials, and the manner in whichthe crisis was projected left him deeply hurt.
Asked whether that was the reason why he decided to quit, he replied,"Well, that is one of the reasons. Certainly it did play a role in mydecision." Mattoo said that he hasn't heard anything over hisresignation yet from Kalmadi. "I have not received any communicationfrom Kalmadi on whether he has accepted my resignation or not. Even ifI am asked to continue till the Commonwealth Games, I would not liketo carry on," Mattoo said. Hockey India was a body given illegal recognition by the registrar of societies. It was an ill conceived attempt to take over Indian hockey. A sport where former players are being deliberately kept out of administration. Now with Sukhbir Singh Badal. KPS Gill and J B Roy signalling their interest in participating in the elections, get ready for another round of dirty politicking and muck raking.
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