Indian women hockey team to continue protest in Bhopal

By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,

Bhopal: The agitating Indian women hockey team players have resolved to continue their protest against Hockey India for non-payment of their dues and shabby treatment meted out to them despite the reported announcement of substantial pay packet for them from New Delhi on Friday.


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The team, which is stationed in Bhopal, is attending the national training camp for the ensuing Commonwealth Games and World Cup at Sports Authority of India regional centre and started sporting black arm-bands while practicing in protest from Thursday. Despite having a good run in 2009, the women’s team did not receive incentives from Hockey India on grounds of paucity of funds.

It may be pointed here that Hockey India interim president, Ms Vidya Stokes’ January 19 statement that the women’s team will not get any money angered the players, but they said they would continue to practice hard and bring laurels for India in the upcoming tournaments.

According to reports reaching here Indian Olympic Association president Suresh Kalmadi on Friday announced in New Delhi that the Indian Sports Ministry has collected Rs. 10 million for the women’s hockey team. It is reported that the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India, (ASSOCHAM), has given the money to the Sports Ministry for the women’s team.

Meanwhile, Ms Vidya Stokes in a statement dismissing discrimination charges leveled against Hockey India said it will pay the protesting women hockey players at par with their male counterparts once it has the funds ready.

Stokes said the association was waiting for funds from various state governments and other sources and promised the women players would also be brought under an annual gradation system as has been promised to their male counterparts.

Deepika Murthy, spokesperson of the Indian women’s hockey team, talking to this Correspondent said: “We will continue with our protest until everything is stated in writing in clear terms including specific match fee amount together with all other benefits that accrue to us at par with the Indian men’s team”.

Deepika informed this Correspondent that when Madam Stokes had talked to her on phone this afternoon to tell Hockey India’s stand over the issue as released in her statement she had told her (Ms Stokes) that women have been subjugated in the past and would not relent this time until and less everything is put in black and white.

“Mere announcement and assurances have no meaning for us as in the past we have been duped,” Deepika moaned.

Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan met Union Sports Minister MS Gill at the latter’s residence and informed him about giving Rs. 10 millions assistance to Women’s Hockey Federation. Expressing concern over politicization of sports, he said that sports should not be allowed to become arena of politics.

Chouhan said that with a view to giving a fillip to sports, the Madhya Pradesh Government is going to build Astroturf stadiums. The state government has allocated Rs. 600 millions for sports in its budget, which used to be Rs. 40 millions earlier. He said that there are four players from Madhya Pradesh in the Indian hockey team.

Meanwhile, according to a media report Union Sports Minister M. S. Gill made an earnest appeal to Indian corporate sector to come forward in rescue of Women hockey team, which at this hour needs support and thus ”lift a finger for it to carry it’s burden.” Inaugurating ASSOCHAM organized ‘Conference cum Exhibition Brand: CWG Delhi 2010’ in New Delhi, Gill explained that the government has its limitations to raise funds and sponsorships for games like Hockey and especially for its women wing which currently is in the doldrums.

“You would be surprised to know that Youth Affairs and Sports Ministry is spending Rs. 6780 million towards coaching and training of Indian athletes for Commonwealth Games 2010 in which major chunk is going to those close to 30 hired coaches from overseas land. Perhaps CEOs of best known multilateral organizations are paid lesser than those coaches, India hired to train it’s athletes,” he said.

“The centre has been spending billion of rupees to ensure smooth and effective conduct of the 2010 Commonwealth games and therefore Indian business houses should liberally come forward, donating sponsorships for Commonwealth games to promote their brands but also carry burden for women’s hockey team which needs fiscal assistance,” he added. ([email protected])

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