Tags:
Journalism of Courage
Utrecht, May 26: The l8217;affaire Irfan Zaidi is getting curiouser and curiouser, and the International Hockey Federation FIH, apparently, knows not how to handle the murky situation.
Apparently, Tournament Director Heinz Woltje of Germany, last night spoke to a few mediapersons at different times and was quoted as saying: 8220;Zaidi is the weakest of the umpires here. He apparently could not handle the pressure on him, which resulted in a poor performance.8221;
The TD8217;s statement was carried in a local newspaper on Tuesday. Woltje reportedly said that Zaidi may not be posted to umpire any more matches in the ongoing World Cup here, though he would not categorically say it in so many words.
Woltje, who himself was responsible for the posting of and drawing up the umpires panel for the competition, reportedly said: 8220;The fact that a Pakistan umpire was appointed for an Indian match is not a point of discussion. A top umpire must be able to put politics aside.8221;
The context in which the TD reportedly referredto politics8217; could not be immediately ascertained, though the FIH Communications Manager Mary Coyle said he was not accurately quoted. 8220;Please give me a couple of hours and I will clarify from the TD whether he was correctly quoted,8221; she said.
Zaidi8217;s handling of the India vs Korea game on Sunday came in for wholesale condemnation from all quarters. Subsequently, there was speculation that the Pakistani may not be given another match to umpire in the current World Cup. It, in turn, would tantamount to an umpire being thrown out of the competition.
This morning, the local Media Officer, Frank van den Wall Bake issued an official8217; translation of the story published in a Dutch daily. But Coyle said the translation was not accurate8217; and pleaded with journalists to hold their stories until she issued an official8217; clarification later tonight.
Bake8217;s statement was released without the knowledge of Coyle, who for all purposes, is the official spokesperson of the FIH. That she was not even aware of thestory in today8217;s Dutch daily and Bake8217;s translation, reflected the absolute lack of co-ordination between the FIH and the organisers.
Reacting to Coyle8217;s observations about the translation, Wall Bake told The Indian Express: 8220;As far as I am concerned, the translation is perfect. I am not here to safeguard the interests of the FIH. My job is to help out the Press. If the FIH feels that the translation was inaccurate, then bad luck for them.8221;
Coyle said: 8220;The TD has not said that Zaidi has been debarred. But it is quite possible that he Zaidi will not be given another match to officiate in this tournament. We have not sent back Zaidi nor has been debarred.8221;
