If India’s hockey rulers believe the players were blackmailing them by going on strike a few weeks before the World Cup in New Delhi, they were right. Where they were wrong was by saying the players had no right to take such action.
India’s top players have decided to boycott a World Cup preparatory camp over a payment dispute while the game’s administrators are threatening to suspend those involved in the strike.
For years, sports administrators have had everything their own way because the players were afraid to come out and express themselves.
But times have changed. It is a questioning era. The players are asking why they cannot have the best facilities, why they are not adequately rewarded for their skill, effort and performance?
But administrators have chosen to ignore these concerns.
The president of Hockey India, AK Mattoo, made himself look silly when he questioned the players’ decision to stay away from the training at the camp in Pune.
“They are national players, they cannot threaten us,” he said.
Mr President, what were you doing when the players were tolerant of your association’s autocratic ways and they continued to stay silent?
Why did you not stop to think about the betterment of those same “national players” who, apart from being deprived of their earnings, were giving poor facilities at their preparatory camps?
When they needed cereals for breakfast, they were given oily snacks. When they needed to have healthy chunks of chicken for dinner, they were given chicken with feathers. When they needed just a little more to stay financially satisfied, you left their purses empty and light.
Source : http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100113/SPORTCOLUMNISTS/701129880/1078/SPORT&template=columnists
India’s top players have decided to boycott a World Cup preparatory camp over a payment dispute while the game’s administrators are threatening to suspend those involved in the strike.
For years, sports administrators have had everything their own way because the players were afraid to come out and express themselves.
But times have changed. It is a questioning era. The players are asking why they cannot have the best facilities, why they are not adequately rewarded for their skill, effort and performance?
But administrators have chosen to ignore these concerns.
The president of Hockey India, AK Mattoo, made himself look silly when he questioned the players’ decision to stay away from the training at the camp in Pune.
“They are national players, they cannot threaten us,” he said.
Mr President, what were you doing when the players were tolerant of your association’s autocratic ways and they continued to stay silent?
Why did you not stop to think about the betterment of those same “national players” who, apart from being deprived of their earnings, were giving poor facilities at their preparatory camps?
When they needed cereals for breakfast, they were given oily snacks. When they needed to have healthy chunks of chicken for dinner, they were given chicken with feathers. When they needed just a little more to stay financially satisfied, you left their purses empty and light.
Source : http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100113/SPORTCOLUMNISTS/701129880/1078/SPORT&template=columnists
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