E Arun
Port Blair, May 31: As per report “Hockey Andaman & Nicobar” is part of the 3rd Hockey India Senior Men’s National Championship being held in Shiv Chattarpati Sports Complex and Major Dhyan chand Hockey Stadium in Pimpri, Pune.
But this is shocking that while talking to Andaman Sheekha the Director of Sports and Youth Affairs, Mr. Lucas Robert has clearly said that A & N Administration has not sent any team from Andaman and Nicobar Islands. He has also mentioned that he has no information about Andaman team participating in the said National Championship.
If this is true, then who are the people, who are playing in National Tournament in name of A & N Islands?
According to reports, the tournament began on 27th May. Andaman Nicobar figures in pool –D and as per information “Hockey Andaman & Nicobar” has not conducted any State level tournament in the recent past to select the team for National Championship.
Information from Rangat, Mayabunder, Diglipur , Wimberlygunj, Nancowry, Carnicobar, Nacowry and Campbell Bay indicates that Hockey Andaman has not conducted any selection in these Zones.
Only Ranchi Association had conducted a local tournament in Port Blair. In any case Ranchi Association is not competent to select a team to represent ANI.
Now the question is who has done this mischief? How Andaman’s team reached Pune to participate in National Tournament? Who selected the team? Who has sent the team?
It seems that someone is again taking Administration for a ride. Earlier experience in Athletic, Hockey and Boxing seems to have been forgotten by the Department of Sports and the entire Administration.
An investigating team should be rushed to Pune immediately to catch red-handed those who misrepresented themselves as players of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Conspiracy to ruin Island sports is going on even after the kingpin is missing from action.
It means there are many behind the scene that supports such acts. Immediate action will yield the desired result.
Meanwhile there are reports that A &N team has registered two wins. Andaman & Nicobar edged past Haryana 4-2 to register their second consecutive win. Bijju Yirkal, Kusha, Chandan and Birsu scored a goal each for Andaman & Nicobar while Jitender Saroha scored two goals for Haryana.
Now it is to be investigated whether these players are from Andaman’s or from mainland India. In case they are from mainland then the benefit of the Certificate to participate in National Game will be taken by them, which is the right of Island players. Similarly they will also get benefit while applying for any job under sport quota in National Level while Island hockey players will remain deprived.
If this team is indeed from the Islands then the performance is more than a welcome sign considering the fact that the players are not used to playing in synthetic turf.
Allowing State level Associations to participate on behalf of AN Islands without conducting any tournament is becoming a dangerous trend. If this trend is allowed to continue the result will be another humiliation at National arena.
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