Bitter Pill-ay

As a veteran police official who has tackled terrorism, and faced the not-inconsiderable fallout of his inimitable style, K.P.S. Gill will probably not be much bothered by the growing criticism of how the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) has handled its star player. Yet by stonewalling on the issue of Dhanraj Pillay’s participation in the Athens Olympics, Gill is in danger of scoring what could be a very expensive own goal. The point, as this paper has made, is not whether Dhanraj should play or not; that is the prerogative of the Federation and its team leadership. The point is, if hockey is to take that great leap forward to the era of reforms, it must free itself of the feudal mindset that has marked the IHF administration of it.

The game’s resurgence over the past couple of years has been well chronicled. Thanks to extensive media coverage, results on the field were brought to the public, fuelling interest in the game and turning the main players into household names. The IHF, to its credit, recognised the need to change the way the game was perceived. The image makeover included a pathbreaking sponsorship deal with Sahara and a revamped, made-for-TV, domestic hockey league. And that’s the irony of the situation. The game has now grown beyond the realms of a personal fiefdom; it will be ruled by market forces, which demand accountability, transparency, planning. And credibility. And it’s in this area that the IHF has failed. It has shown its most feudal side in the arbitrary selection and dropping of players and coaches. It is not necessary for Gill or the IHF to explain to the public, or even the media, why Dhanraj will or won’t play. But can’t the player be informed of his status so that in this Olympic year he can be prepared for the decision?

Not long ago, cricket was hurtling down a similar road. The game had the talent and money. What was missing were the results. Jagmohan Dalmiya, every bit as feudal as Gill, saw wisdom in overriding his own inherent objections to the foreign hand and gave John Wright a relatively free rein. The BCCI is still remarkably unprofessional — like the IHF, there is no concept of PR, and the only person who can provide a credible quote is the president himself. But Dalmiya has brought in professionals where they matter most. No one doubts that Gill is a lover of the game; there is a case, though, that perhaps he loves the game too much to let go of it.