Date:12/03/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/12/stories/2008031259322200.htm

Sport - Hockey

It is sad: Jothikumaran

Chennai: Reactions continue to pour in from the length and breadth of the country over the failure of the Indian hockey team to earn an Olympic berth for the Beijing Games.

“I am as sad as anyone over the verdict, which was shocking indeed.

“Actually, what we saw during the Asia Cup and then against Belgium in the five-Test series convinced the federation that the qualifying would not be difficult. However, we have to work hard and regain our place, said K. Jothikumaran, Secretary, Indian Hockey Federation.

Former Olympian goalkeeper, Muneer Sait, shared the anguish of every sports enthusiast and said, “In the seven Olympics I witnessed, one as a player in 1968 at Mexico, and then in the six others as a Technical Official of the FIH, I noticed the decline every time.

“But never did I imagine that it would come to this stage of not making it to the Olympics.” — Special Correspondent