The Indian Hockey Federation sure can be baffling. Till recently, IHF chief KPS Gill had steadfastly refused to clarify the Dhanraj Pillay issue, or clear the air about experimenting with the line-up just three months before the Olympics. Zero transparency all around. But today, Gill and the IHF appeared a transformed set-up, with a series of hi-tech plans for the Indian team and finally, a U-turn on the Dhanraj issue. Not surprising though, if you consider the fact that Gill met Sahara chief Subroto Roy on Sunday in Mumbai and has been asked to brief sports minister Vikram Verma on Wednesday to explain things. Gill, significantly, ended the week-long drama over Dhanraj, saying, ‘‘Dhanraj and Baljit Singh Dhillon have a realistic chance of playing the Olympics.’’ Among the things Gill took a clear stance on were the poor training facilities in India, saying ‘‘We are sending the players abroad because the facilities and personnel are not available here’’, and on Jugraj Singh playing the Olympics, saying, ‘‘It is difficult’’. Among some of the new things Gill announced, in pursuit of the new image of being a professional organisation, were: Personalised training Nine of the top players of the Indian team will train under foreign trainers at the University of Sports, Cologne (Germany) from May 27 to June 21. The players are Dhanraj, Dhillon, Gagan Ajit Singh, Deepak Thakur and Prabhjot Singh, Dilip Tirkey, Devesh Chauhan and drag-flickers Jatinder Pal Singh and Sandeep Singh Acclimatisation programme After the four-nation tournament in Amsetelveen (Holland) in June-end, another extensive round training for the Olympic probables at Nuremberg (Germany) Sponsors to step inBoth stints will cost Rs 35-40 lakh to the IHF and Sahara will support it Accountability factorChief coach Rajinder Singh, who brought many questionable changes in the team recently, would be accountable for his action. Gill said, ‘‘We will see if there is a need for a foreign coach after the Olympics. They have to win a medal. Otherwise.’’
