Sport - Hockey

IHF plans meetings

Chennai: The attention is riveted on the series of meetings planned by the Indian Hockey Federation in the next few days. It is not clear whether they will be informal consultations or get labelled as official. At the moment, it looks like a brainstorming session over the fiasco in Santiago.

While a section of the IHF units aggressively are working on convening an official general body meeting where firm decision can be taken with a policy enunciation about the future course of action.

There is a demand to have the meeting convened at a central place than at the residence of the IHF.

The IHF President, K.P.S. Gill, who had consistently scoffed at the demands for his resignation owning moral responsibility for the current state of affairs, is slated to meet the core members of the team management for the Chile event on March 19.

The chief coach, Joaquim Carvalho, who resigned in the wake of the 0-2 defeat against Great Britain in the final on March 9 when India made its exit from the Olympic Games for the first time in 80 years, is likely to present his version leading to the debacle along with the manager, R.K. Shetty.

Former Olympians, M.P. Ganesh and Charles Cornelius, are also likely to participate. Carvalho’s report may form the basis of further discussions.

Meanwhile, the Special Project director, Bob Davidzon, and Aussie coach, Ric Charlesworth, are expected to reach Delhi on Tuesday for a meeting with the IHF office-bearers, and officials of the Sports Ministry.

At issue is Carvalho’s resignation, which, sources indicate, has already been accepted.

It is not easy to forecast the decisions that will be taken in the next few days to put back hockey on the path of development, but there are enough indications of a heated debate on many issues, if all the members are allowed to voice their views without inhibitions.

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