HI threatens to ban top players

Yet another crisis seems to be brewing for the national sport, with Hockey India (HI) threatening to ban the top players if they take part in the proposed league to be organised by the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) next year.

IHF, which does not anymore enjoy the recognition of the International Hockey Federation (FIH), announced on Tuesday it would organise a million dollar prize money World Series Hockey league from November 2011.

The league, based on Indian Premier League (IPL) franchisee concept, will have 10 city-based teams in the inaugural edition to be held between November 2011 and February 2012, claimed the IHF officials. IHF has also tied up with Nimbus Sport to conceptualise, stage and market the tournament for a period of 15 years.

Most of the national team players, who played at the Asian Games, were present at the launch in Mumbai. The players are set to earn up to Rs 50 lakh annually and among others who have already signed up include skipper Rajpal Singh and drag-flicker Sandeep Singh, Sardar Singh, Shivendra Singh, Arjun Halappa, Bharat Chetri, Adrian D’Souza and Tushar Khandekar.

The league would be played in 18 venues across the country and each edition would cost Rs 125 crore. IHF president R K Shetty and his predecessor, KPS Gill, were also present during the launch and said top players from Europe and Pakistan would also take part.

HI, however, remained unperturbed and said the players would have to face the consequence if they play in any tournament organised by the IHF, which is not recognised by the FIH. “It is clearly a rebel league and the players should stay away from it. All of them would be automatically banned,” said a HI official.

HI secretary general Narendra Batra said: I don’t see how national team players can be part of the new league. And if they do, we won’t be left with any other option but to look for new players for the national team.”

“We have not received any instructions from anyone not to play in this league. If I am good enough, I will play for India,” Sandeep Singh said, referring to Batra’s threat.

Interestingly, another source claimed that hosting the high profile league could pose legal problem for the IHF as they already have an existing contract with a television company to run the now defunct Premier Hockey League (PHL).