WSH team owners remain optimistic
WSH team owners remain optimistic
In the run-up to the Bridgestone World Series Hockey (WSH) that began in Chandigarh on Wednesday, the people maintaining the bravest face have been the owners of the eight franchises.
Sabbas Joseph, director at Wizcraft International Entertainment Pvt. Ltd that owns the Delhi Wizards team, Manoj Choudhary, a director at Sai Grace Sports and Events Pvt. Ltd, owners of the Pune Strykers, and Kingshuk Gupta, director, Sporting Ace Pvt. Ltd, owners of the Karnataka Lions, say investing in the league is their way of getting involved in a sport that has got the wrong end of the financial stick. None seemed too perturbed by the events leading up to the WSH, which has left several aspects of the league uncertain.
“We believe hockey is underdeveloped, not monetized enough," says Joseph. “Our involvement is not business, it’s more corporate social responsibility. It’s only when companies like ours have an understanding of promoting the game can we make a difference.
“I don’t think it’s risky. You are investing in the sport. There will be a difference in the larger interest of the game once the two associations have joined hands and resolved their issues."
Gupta agrees: “We knew there was a conflict (before investing in the team), but also that two rival bodies cannot survive separately. They would eventually marry and the sport will grow. By 2 April (when the WSH ends), hockey will see new light."
“Someone has to believe in it," says Choudhary. “It’s a matter of time before it becomes a success."
The WSH was initially scheduled to be held in December but was postponed to 29 February after it appeared to clash with India’s qualifiers for the 2012 Olympics that were held in Delhi last week. The Indian team qualified for London on 26 February by beating France in the final, leaving all the players free to participate in the WSH. But HI immediately announced a preparatory camp in Bangalore from 5 March with 48 probables, leaving a number of players in a quandary over choosing between being selected for the Olympics by attending the camp or playing in a financially lucrative league.
HI has recognition from the International Hockey Federation (FIH), which does not sanction the IHF or the WSH.
“We are hoping this would get resolved soon," says Gupta, who has four players in his team who are also part of the probables: Sandeep Singh, Ignace Tirkey, S.K. Uthappa and Arjun Antil, whose participation in the WSH is as yet doubtful. “We will be affected but it will not stop us. We will stick to the team we have."
Chandigarh Comets, for instance, who played Bhopal Badshahs in the first match on Wednesday, have players P.R. Sreejesh, Sarvanjit Singh and Birendra Lakra who are also among the probables. Sardar Singh and Shivendra Singh are doubtful to appear for the Badshahs for the same reason.
The announcement of the camp has been criticized by several people involved with the game, who believe there is no reason to have 48 players kept on standby for a team of 18 that will eventually go to the Olympics. They feel HI has sent out a veiled threat to the players, discouraging them from participating in the WSH. When asked what would happen if the selected players did not show up for the camp in favour of the WSH, HI secretary Narindra Batra said this was a hypothetical scenario.
“You mean the 18 players who were part of the qualifiers were not the best? Then why do you need so many in the camp just four months before the Olympics? It’s just dirty politics," says Olympian and former India coach Joaquim Carvalho. Former international player and now with the Karnataka Lions, Dhanraj Pillay, also echoed Carvalho’s sentiments, slamming HI for interfering.
“The players will be troubled if they have to choose between country and club," says Joseph. “When the player is in demand, he is that much more challenged. I will tell anybody to choose the country. That’s all the more reason why country and club need to be aligned." Former national captain Rajpal Singh, who had last year announced he would not play the WSH if it clashed with his India assignments, joined the Delhi team recently after being dropped from the Indian team for the qualifiers.
All the owners agree that the victims in this conflict between administrative bodies have been the players. “Politics is killing the sport," says Gupta. “The players don’t want to get involved in this; they just want to play."
Each of the franchises have made an initial investment of $2 million (Rs 9.7 crore) in their teams. What happens if the league does not succeed? “WSH is the beginning of the answer (for hockey). It’s not the only answer," says Joseph.
arun.j@livemint.com
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