Stung by Doha debacle, hockey greats pan IHF

Former legends march in the capital seeking the ouster of IHF chief KPS Gill and the institution of an ad-hoc body under the IOA.

It was a voice laden with pain — the pain caused due to Indian hockey's worst-ever showing at the Doha Asian Games.

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Close to two-dozen former hockey Olympians chose the 40th anniversary of India's first Asian Games gold-winning performance at the Bangkok Asiad (1966) to express serious concerns about the declining standards of the game and rallied for the dissolution of the Indian Hockey Federation, arguing that it should be taken over by the Indian Olympic Association.

Many former legends including Harbinder Singh, Zafar Iqbal, Haripal Kaushik, Ashok Kumar, HS Chimni, Pargat Singh, and Commander Nandi Singh, among others, marched from the Barakhamba Road to Jantar Mantar, carrying placards seeking the ouster of IHF chief KPS Gill and the institution of an ad-hoc body under the IOA.

“India's glorious past is being tarnished. KPS Gill, there's nothing more left to kill. Selectors, resign and apologise to the nation,” the veterans were united in dissent against the present IHF regime.

And those who saw them march together and talked with them would have felt the agony they are going through. “We can still dedicate ourselves to resurrect India hockey,” said Nandi Singh, one of the oldest hockey Olympians in the country.

But is the IHF top brass listening?