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Sporty India Institutions:   by  on 2009-10-31 01:19:04
 Subject :Contributions Pour In For Indian Men's and Women's Team.. 2010-03-01 18:43:08 
Kand
Joined: 2009-06-19 12:58:26
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With just over a month to go for the World Cup, India's men's hockey team training in Pune went on strike to demand match fee arrears for the matches played in 2009, and to demand an annual graded contract payment system going forward.

Officials controlling Hockey India were taken by surprise. Initially, the officials took the ultimatum lightly, taking the hypocritical stance that the players should be playing for national honour rather than for money.

When the players refused to back down, Hockey India officials threatened to field the B-team in the World Cup. The members of the second team immediately announced that they fully supported the cause of the national players, and will not play in their stead.

The standoff between the players and Hockey India officials lasted a full week, with the public and the media overwhelmingly backing the players.

Sports Minister M. S. Gill was reduced to being a spectator, neither able to produce the sought-for funds, nor able to persuade the striking players to go back to work.

Indian team sponsors Sahara then put in Rs. 1 crore in a suspense account for immediate distribution to the players. Armed with this generous contribution from the team sponsor, the President of the Indian Olympic Association, Suresh Kalmadi, along with hockey star Dhanraj Pillai, persuaded the players to give up their strike.

On January 18, Kalmadi distributed cheques to the striking players at the Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Balewadi. Around 35-40 men's hockey players were the beneficiaries.

FIH president Leandro Negre thanked Sahara India chairman Subrata Roy for coming to Hockey India's rescue and resolving the pay dispute that threatened to disrupt India's preparations for the World Cup.

During all this, the Indian women players were completely left out in the bargain. The women players then went on a black armband protest in Bhopal, where they were training. In an inspired move, they opened a joint account in a Bhopal bank, and asked the public to contribute.

The women's team received a cheque for Rs. 2 lakhs from Yash Raj Films, the producers of Chak de India. ASSOCHAM Commonwealth Games chairman Vinay Rai announced a contribution of Rs. 10 lakhs for the women players.

Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Chauhan contributed Rs. 1 crore to the women's hockey team. This amount was distributed among 50 women players and officials, with each person getting Rs. 2 lakhs, at a function held on January 28 at the Sports Authority of India centre in Bhopal.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati pledged Rs. 5 crores towards Indian hockey. Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda pledged Rs. 1 crore, while Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi agreed to donate Rs. 50 lakhs.

Importantly, Hockey India has formed a Committee to look into the gradation of players, for both men's and women's national teams, at both the senior and junior levels.

The Commitee consists of Olympians Ajeet Pal Singh, M. P. Ganesh, Zafar Iqbal and Dhanraj Pillai. The Convener of the Committee is Jagbeer Singh, who is the Director, Planning for Hockey India.

In addition, the captains and chief coaches of both the men's and women's teams will also be members of this Committee.
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