When I saw Virender Shehwag advertising for Hockey World Cup, I thanked god. Hockey world cup is scheduled to be held from February 20th in New Delhi, but you will not see a single bill board in Delhi for Hockey world cup.
If you ask this to our IHF, they will say - Well! We did not put bill boards because we knew people will not be able to see it due to heavy fog!!!
Jokes apart, Hockey fell sick after 1984 and situation deteriorated. The most embarrassing moment was when we failed to qualify for Beijing Olympics in 2008.
The question needs to be asked is when we as a country will take measured steps to put hockey on track. What will be the event which will instigate this country to reform this game or we are happy watching cricket? No qualification for Beijing Olympics passed like just another day.
I guess it is the time and year when we are organizing common wealth games where all sports bodies should be managed by professionals and government should pass appropriate bill in parliament.
A hockey player gets INR 4,50,000 per year when he participates in all games. If he becomes unfit or is dropped from the team, he looses money. Add to this that the player has to spend his money to remain fit. Apart from it, he has to travel in sleeper class of train and stay in a low grade hotel during the hotel.
And we as a country want Olympic medal from these bunch of men who had to go on strike to get the money they deserved. These bunch of men are hungry, live in sub-standard conditions, do not get best training facilities, their coaches change with drop of a hat and above all, a sick Indian Hockey Federation who do not understand 'H' of Hockey.
I feel ashamed as an Indian to say Hockey is our national game. If we can't do anything else, let us choose some other game as a national game.
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