Date:27/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/27/stories/2008092752032000.htm

Sport - Sports : General

Stalemate at G.V. Raja school ends

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The stalemate at the G.V. Raja sports School ended following the intervention of the Sports Minister M. Vijayakumar.

The conciliatory talks between the DPI officials, PTA and the two hockey coaches on Thursday remained inconclusive.

It promoted the school PTA president Somarajan to meet the sports minister on Friday and briefed him about the situation prevailing at the sports school where hockey players were protesting the removal of the two coaches.

The minister directed sports organiser of the DPI, Chacko Joseph to amicably settle the issue.

As per request made by Chacko Joseph and assurance from the minister’s office that the matter would be sorted out once the DPI, Mohammed Hanish, who is on an official visit to Delhi, returns. The two hockey coaches Ramesh Kolappa and Jayakumar decided to resume their duties on Friday evening.

Ramesh Kolappa, who is also the secretary of the Kerala Hockey Association, said the duo was not against the appointment of a new coach but felt aggrieved when they were kept in the dark about the appointment of the new coach by the DPI officials.

“For the last two years on many occasions we were not informed about the conduct of camps or selection trails by the DPI officials and we felt out honorary services were not appreciated properly,” he said.

State senior aquatics

The State senior aquatics meet opens at the Aquatics Complex, here on Saturday. Over 400 swimmers from across the State will compete in the two-day event.

Besides the districts, Southern Railway will also be fielding a team this year and Sebastian Xavier, till recently India’s fastest swimmer, will be the team’s coach.

Another champion from the past, Wilson Cherian, will also attend the meet along with his wife and former track star, Shiny Wilson.

“We will be honouring them during the championship,” said P.V. Pankajakshan, the Organising Secretary.

“We are conducting a senior State meet after a gap of about 10 years and we have worked hard to make it a success. The pool has been renovated and we are expecting quite a few meet records,” he added.