Former Indian hockey captain Mohammed Shahid has alleged that Indian Hockey Federation's (IHF) "corrupt officials" under KPS Gill have been making dubious team selections for the past 14 years and demanded stringent punishment for them.
"People like (K) Jothikumaran have brought Indian Hockey to the lowest level. Their resignation is not enough, they must be punished," Shahid, a Padma Shree awardee, told PTI referring to the bribe scandal in which IHF secretary Jothikumaran was caught on camera accepting money for selecting a player.
Shahid, who was a part of the gold medal winning Indian team in the 1980 Moscow Olympics, said the national game of the country needs government's support to get back on its feet.
"When the Indian hockey team, an eight times Olympic gold medalists, could not qualify for the Beijing Olympics for the first time last month, it was a black day for the Indian hockey.
"But when Jothikumaran was caught red handed accepting bribe for selecting a player, it was a shame for the country," he said.