Thaindian News

Pune/New Delhi, Jan 11 (IANS) Hockey India (HI) has set a 24-hour deadline for the agitating players to end their boycott of the national camp or risk disciplinary action.
Top HI officials are flying down to Pune Tuesday to resolve the issue but before that they have made their stand clear to the players.

Six players including captain Rajpal Singh, after a meeting with the HI Saturday, had claimed that the issue of payment dispute has been resolved and they will end the boycott of the camp. But their teammates in Pune were not satisfied with the agreement and decided to continue with the boycott.

HI officials including president Ashok Kumar Mattoo had a long meeting here Monday even as Maharashta Hockey Association official Ikram Khan met the players in Pune.

Mattoo minced no words in saying that the players have chosen a wrong path.

“They have been misled,” Mattoo said.

Asked whether the federation will take any disciplinary action, Mattoo said: “If you ask me it is an option. I can use it today, tomorrow or any other day but I don’t want this to happen. I am hopeful that the players will come around,” he said.

“We are concerned and we have communicated our stand to the players. I am confident that the issue will be resolved,” he said.

Khan, who interacted with the players in Pune, said the players should go back to training and only then they will be heard.

“They should not have boycotted the camp. They should respect their coaches. They are senior players. They should start their practice and the other process will continue,” he said.

“I think there will be a compromise soon. I am sure that the matter will be sorted out,” he said.

“They are not satisfied with the incentives but it can be worked out. The players are very clear about what they want and it’s fair enough,” Khan added.

Sources in HI said the association is contemplating strict disciplinary action against the players.

“They should end their boycott immediately and only then we can sit with them and hear out their problems,” said one HI official on condition of anonymity.

Narendra Batra, Jagbeer Singh and Harish Sharma along with president Mattoo are likely to reach Pune Tuesday to talk with the players and resolve the issue.

Hockey players at a World Cup training camp in Pune began their boycott Friday and refuse to return until allowances-dues were paid to them.