Step motherly treatment to hockey

[sachin_fan]

Hockey always seems to be relegated to second best in the tussle for headline space with cricket. But on Indian cricket's big day it was hockey which scored. Upset with the lack of recognition for his Asia Cup winning team, Indian coach Joaquim Carvalho hit out at what he called 'step-motherly treatment'. A four-year wait came to an end for Indian hockey earlier this month in Chennai. Reigning Asian Games champions South Korea were thashed 7-2 as India won the Asia Cup; their first win since the Afro-Asian Games in 2003. But there was no Chak de effect here. The players weren't felicitated as champions, like their counterparts in cricket were. "Why was the same recognition not given to the hockey players when they won the Asia Cup? Where were the same state governments? The monetary benefit is not the issue, the issue is about the recognition," says India's head coach. That's not all. The coach said that four of the Karnataka players in the team would go on a hunger strike outside the Karnataka CM's residence to protest the step motherly treatment. "In future in the World Cup, if the Indian hockey team performs very well, then at that time I will consider their demands," says Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy. Eight Olympic golds, a World Cup win in 1975; Indian hockey has a proud and rich heritage. But when it comes to endorsements or prize money then Indian hockey has always lagged behind cricket, and by a fair margin. The BCCI announced a reward of $2 million for the Twenty20 win. The Indian Hockey Federation announced Rs 1,000 per goal at the Asia Cup. Also, Rs 2,000 would be deducted if they conceded a goal. "We should look at the quality of goals given away and then decide on the matter. I think the goals that were given away were very hard goals, so there will be no deductions, and Rs 50,000 even today is a good amount of money," says Indian Hockey Federation President KPS Gill says. Coach Joaquim Carvalho's intentions are not in doubt. He is not anti-cricket but has raised an issue that definitely needs to be addressed. This isn't only about hockey. It's about Indian sports and cricket. Source :http://www.ibnlive.com/news/indian-hockey-cries-foul-on-crickets-big-day/49413-5.html Indian hockey is right to feel irked...I am not sure though, this is the right thread for "Indian Cricket Fans"

[yoda]

well it means that hockey is no longer a popular sport. can't help it. make the game more interesting. win more. do whatever. stop biatching.

[kabira]

they won asia cup...and they did get lot of credit. here cricketers won WC, BIG Difference. they should stop biatching and concentrate on qualifying for olympics...coach was like indian hockey has won us 8 golds in olympics and look at the treatment....but mr. coach when was the last tiem indian hockey won us any medal.

[Gambit]

I got hooked onto hockey when they beat Pak 5-2 in Delhi a few years back and won the Asian Games gold in '98 against South Korea. Interest and wins kind of fizzled out after that.

[gs]

I thought Chak De movie would have generated some interest in Hockey in India. But with this T20 WC win it will be just Cricket hogging the limelight for a while - touch luck Hockey!

[Lurker]

Hockey always seems to be relegated to second best in the tussle for headline space with cricket. But on Indian cricket's big day it was hockey which scored. Upset with the lack of recognition for his Asia Cup winning team, Indian coach Joaquim Carvalho hit out at what he called 'step-motherly treatment'.

Carvalho is right to be miffed. Hockey, lest we forget, is still our National Sports. Pray why do we keep it as our National Sport if it is going to be treated shabbily? As for the critique that Hockey should win more I think that is grossly misleading. The fact is that cricket was always popular in India, even when we were good in Hockey. And how is Indian hockey team supposed to win anyways if we do not provide the best support system for them? It is almost like chicken-egg quandry. xxx

[theguyinallblue]

there is no infrastructure for hockey to blossom in india.... only one sport can give tough competition to cricket in india...and that is football... kids who play cricket also play football...and both the games need no big investment for kids to play... and even 5-6 kids can play... its just that our football team is not that good...but i am sure..if we reach a level..when we will be playing in football world cups regularly...and other tournaments... we will overcome EPL...UEFA etc,..in few years... if we can improve our performance in football....it can easily overshadow cricket..and then BCCI will moan about step motherly treatment compared to footballers...

[Lurker]

there is no infrastructure for hockey to blossom in india.... only one sport can give tough competition to cricket in india...and that is football...

Actually there is a very good infrastructure of hockey in India. Okay those three words - very good & infrastructure - is never true in India but still the infrastructure is fairly decent. I beleive your comment is based on personal experience since hockey is not a very popular game in Delhi area. However if you visit areas of Punjab, Jharkhand or many other parts of the country it is indeed popular. The unfortunate thing is that from a people's game it has largely become a game played at SAI(Sports Authority of India). You obviously can not compare it to football which requires little or no infrastructure anyway. xxx

[coffee_rules]

Fine, change the national sport to cricket.

[Lurker]

^^ I do think it is time we seriously considered that. Doesnt do us any good to treat shabbily our National Sports really. Time to call a referundum on this.

[yoda]

Fine' date=' change the national sport to cricket.[/quote'] more specifically, 20/20 cricket.

[DesiChap]

It is because nobody , ok very few care about hockey

[Mandrake]

Well...you cant blame people for loving a sport more....Even during the golden period of Indian hockey it was never as popular as cricket....

[sachin_fan]

loving a sport is one thing....but such lavish spending of money is really sad. A sportman's career is just 20 years. He has to live his entire life on the money he earns in those years. The thing is, despite all this, our cricket team has never lived up to its merit. 20-20 or otherwise, for the kind of money being spent, we should not loose more than 1 series as year....