By IANS,
New Delhi : Former India captain and Hockey Punjab secretary Pargat Singh Sunday blasted Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Suresh Kalmadi and said his ambition to head Hockey India has resulted in the hockey federation elections being repeatedly delayed.
Pargat said people like Kalmadi are running a “sports mafia” in the country and HI is not interested in holding the elections because the IOA chief failed to get a nomination from Maharashtra.
The HI elections scheduled for Feb 7 were postponed yet again Saturday following a stay order from the Rajasthan High Court over the affiliations granted to state units Jan 11.
“He (Kalmadi) has made a mockery of hockey. I wanted to restrain myself from saying all this but the World Cup is round the corner and elections have been postponed again,” Pargat said.
“Instead of deferring the elections, they (HI) should have moved an application to get the stay vacated. But Kalmadi and HI do not want to hold the elections, even if World Cup does not take place in India ,” said Pargat.
“Kalmadi sent his men to me for a negotiation. They said that Punjab will get the affiliation, if you accept Kalmadi as president of HI. I said I don’t want to be part of such trade-off. I was made to run around for 10 days for the affilitaion,” Pargat claimed.
“People like him are runing a sports mafia in the country. We will fight this mafia. Players want parental touch from federation and no one wants to revolt. But Kalmadi is playing games and pulling the strings and some former players are pawns in his hand,” said Pargat, who is in fray for a top HI post.
“He is afraid of election, that’s why they have put it off. Kalmadi has created a mess in Indian hockey. KPS Gill’s time was better than this.”
“When he was the president of Athletics Federation of India, he O(Kalmadi) couldn’t do anything. So, what will he do with hockey now?”
Pargat said the sports ministry has written so many letters to HI but without any effect.
“Sports Minister M.S. Gill is sincere. He is taking interest in the HI elections and talks about fairness and transparency.”
“What kind of message you are giving to the world, if you can’t hold a democratic election to a national sports federation?” Pargat asked.