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When will these murky waters clear?

S. Thyagarajan

The ad hoc committee has followed the system of getting back the discarded
Logic demands that the reins be handed over to Joaquim Carvalho

Chennai: It is getting curiouser and curiouser. The hockey ad hoc committee nominates the chief coach, selects a group of probables and draws up the blue print for future programmes. In the same city, a general-body meeting of the ‘suspended’ federation formulates a policy framework for elections and claims an attendance of 20 to 25 members.

A conclave is held in Pune as a means to measure the numbers and the support to establish a governing body, even as news floats about an important member of the ad hoc committee having put in his papers, while the chairman, Mr. Suresh Kalmadi, takes the stage in the seminar and gives an assurance that a new administration would be in place shortly.

These baffling developments constitute a definition for chaos.

Having made a mess in the appointment of Ric Charlesworth as the chief coach under the special dispensation designed by the International Hockey Federation to restore India’s sagging image and morale, everyone connected with the administration here contributed to lowering the stature of the country in the eyes of the international fraternity. No foreign coach who has self respect will ever look at India as a destination for work.

Recycling

In pitching for M.K. Kaushik as the chief coach for men, the ad hoc committee has followed the nauseating system of recycling, getting back the discarded. Cedric D’Souza and Baskaran were brought back after conveniently being made the sacrificial lambs consequent to disastrous results.

Kaushik’s comeback highlights the lack of intelligent and imaginative senior coaches. It also perhaps reflects the thinking that those dismissed by K.P.S. Gill must be rehabilitated. All those who decried the previous administration consistently have been accommodated and rewarded.

If for some incomprehensible reason Charlesworth’s expertise became unavailable when it was needed the most, logic demands that the reins be handed over to Joaquim Carvalho who has been with the team for over a year for the sake of continuity. Minus the one match against Britain at Santiago, Carvalho’s tenure had been rewarding; India won two bronze medals successively in Ipoh and Boom, and finished champion in the Asia Cup in Chennai.

Eligibility

True, overwhelmed by the disappointment of not making the grade, Carvalho indicated he would resign. But never went further. In fact, he was with the team for the four-nation events in Australia. If all the players and officials of the ‘suspended’ IHF are eligible to work — A.K. Bansal is one example — with the ad hoc committee then what is the harm in retaining Carvalho?

As a former Olympian and coach of the victorious gold medal winning team in the Asiad of 1998 at Bangkok, as well as engineering some notable victories when he coached the women’s teams, Kaushik has credentials. But a 10-year gap cannot be bridged from watching competitive hockey for two weeks in Beijing 2008. Hockey’s profile has altered tremendously and Kaushik’s task in the circumstances is unenviable.

It is imprudent to force Kaushik to spell out his mantra. Nor is there an immediate forum to determine his approach and the degree of success. The ad hoc committee has listed the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and World Cup as barometers to evaluate India’s rating, which, at the moment is the lowest ever.

Quite conceivably, Kaushik has sought help and co-operation of all concerned to work for lifting the image of the country. Such stock expressions are common from those taking over charge. There is no doubt left now about the imponderables before the entire machinery could get into a rhythm of preparing a national squad to meet the challenges.

The priority is to put in place a constitutionally elected governing apparatus to give the sport a meaningful direction. Ad hoc decisions can only do more harm and vitiate the atmosphere further.

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