Selectors not told about Carvalho’s reinforcements

“We got to know only today that two players are in Australia even though their names are not on the list submitted to the government. We were all shocked by this,” said Olympian Ashok Kumar, a member of the new five-man selection committee.

Little-known player

While forward Rajpal last played for India in the Olympic qualifiers in Chile, few people in the Indian hockey establishment seem to know about the credentials of Amit Kumar. The player has never represented India, even at the junior level, and was not among the 40 probables during the training camp in Bangalore in March.

Sources in South-Central Railways say that Kumar was busy with the inter-railways meet during the camp, and fail to explain what may have prompted the coach to ask for him. Carvalho was unavailable for comments despite repeated attempts to reach him in Australia. The team’s manager RK Shetty, too, declined to speak on the issue.

“Carvalho told me that since Amit was playing in the inter-railways meet, he could be included in the probables for the next tournament,” Mohammad Nayeem, the sports in-charge for S-C Railways, told The Indian Express from Secunderabad. “Then, he called up last Friday saying Amit was needed in Australia, and asking him to report to the federation,” he added.  

Carvalho had repeatedly stressed in the past that an India camp should be the priority for selection, and not domestic tournaments.

Old selectors also unaware

Members of the erstwhile IHF administration said they were unaware of the whole issue, but Nayeem said he had received a letter from the IHF just a day before it was indefinitely suspended.

Chairman of the outgoing selection committee, MP Ganesh, said that though there could be changes in the team for the two legs of the tournament, he wasn’t aware of Amit’s selection. “The selection committee constituted by the IOA will be responsible for any new decisions now.”

Sports Authority of India (SAI) officials said they were clueless about the player being cleared to travel. “We have no information on this player, there was no departmental committee meeting to discuss his name. Neither did we get any proposal to send him, nor are we aware of his inclusion in the squad,” a SAI source said.

Railway Sports Promotion Board, meanwhile, confirmed that Kumar had gone to Australia with due clearances from them. “We have no say in this. We were informed by his coach that Carvalho had asked for him, and we granted permission,” said Ashok Diwan, a member of the RSPB.