Excelsior Sports Correspondent
JAMMU, June 22: General Secretary Hockey J&K, Romal Singh, along with Resident Secretary MS Reen and former International players and referees have sought Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti’s intervention in setting the things right in otherwise jaundiced Hockey J&K, being run by self-styled officials and have demanded probe by the Crime Branch in malfunctioning and rampant corruption by these self-styled officials.
Mr Romal Singh and others said this in a Press Conference held under his Chairmanship to highlight the burning issues of the Association.
Demanding intervention of the Chief Minister, Mr Singh revealed sensational facts about corruption and favouritism by self-styled Officials of Hockey J&K.
He said that after being out of station for brief period, he was sidelined without any intimation or any election and GS Bakshi, a tainted Official was inducted as Secretary and is now functioning as General Secretary.
He further said that Resident Secretary alongwith selectors have also been sidelined to make Hockey J&K a headless body, adding that it has become a one man show under its Treasurer.
All the speakers’ mostly Former National players criticized the malfunctioning and favouritism in so-called self styled Hockey J&K.
Alleging corruption they said, the selection for Senior National Tournament was made by bypassing selectors which included three players from Punjab, adding that they brought the matter in the notice of the Sports Council, whose Screening Committee rejected all the three players from Punjab, however, acting clandestinely and arbitrarily one of them (a teenager) was still adjusted as Manager of the team.
“A glaring example of favouritism and corruption is that so many deserving players of J&K Police were not selected for Senior Nationals. Otherwise, it is the police team which gives tough fight to big teams of the Country. Result is evident as J&K’s Senior team lost all the three matches with a big margin of 6-1, 9-0 and 5-0 in just concluded Senior National Tournament. This was on the cards as a number of talented players were kept out. Adding fuel to the fire the association appointed a blue-eyed junior most player as coach of Sr. National team,” informed the officials while giving vent to their feelings.
They further said that similar was the case of Junior National Team in which a player from Railways was selected, who even does not know as to how to hold a hockey stick, adding that by dropping most talented player of the State, his selection involved favouritism and even nepotism.
“Again two junior / unqualified coach & Manager were appointed, leaving aside, a number of senior and qualified coaches of Sports Council J&K. It is very strange & un-understandable that no selection committee was entrusted with the job of selecting the teams for such an important event,” expressed the officials.
Manjit Singh, Resident Secretary alleged that the players were provided with a refreshment of Rs 30 each, whereas the Sports Council provides Rs 100 for each player adding that on their complaint , Sports Council has decided to pay the refreshment money directly to the players through their accounts.
He alleged corruption in hockey sticks and kits and sought immediate inquiry.
The members appreciated the role of Narinder Batra, President FIH and role of Sports Council in promoting Hockey in the State.
Prominent among those present on the occasion were Jaswant Singh (Youth Hero, Hockey Club Hiranagar), Narinder Sharma (Hiranagar Hockey Club), Romal Singh (General Zorawar Singh Hockey Club) Satwari, Manjit Singh (Bagh Baian Hockey Club), Ravinder Singh (Banda Bahadur Hockey Club), Charanjit Singh (Young Star, Hockey Club Simbal), Tejinder Singh (Singh Hockey Club), Vishal Sumbria (Kathua Hockey Club), RS Soodan (Sheetu of Hockey Club), Sandeep Singh (Narsingh Hockey Club) Samba, Inderpal Singh (Kapoor Singh Hockey Club), Sukhdev Singh (Cantt. Star Hockey Club), Asha Rani (Kathua Hockey Club), Shushu Pal Singh (Shiv Shakti Club, Samba), S Didar Singh (Khalsa Club, Didar Pura, Kupwara, Srinagar), Avtar Singh (Shaheed Bhagat Singh Hockey Club), S Waryam Singh (Former National Player), Iqbal Singh (Former National Player), S Manmohan Singh (Former National Player), Janak Singh (Former National Player), Rajinder Singh (National Player), Harbans Singh (Former National Player) and Parshotam Singh (former National Player).
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