Pargat blasts Kalmadi for deferred Hockey India polls
January 24th, 2010 - 7:13 pm ICT by IANSNew Delhi, Jan 24 (IANS) Former India captain and Hockey Punjab secretary Pargat Singh Sunday blasted Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Suresh Kalmadi and said his ambition to head Hockey India has resulted in the hockey federation elections being repeatedly delayed.
Pargat said people like Kalmadi are running a “sports mafia” in the country and HI is not interested in holding the elections because the IOA chief failed to get a nomination from Maharashtra.
The HI elections scheduled for Feb 7 were postponed yet again Saturday following a stay order from the Rajasthan High Court over the affiliations granted to state units Jan 11.
“He (Kalmadi) has made a mockery of hockey. I wanted to restrain myself from saying all this but the World Cup is round the corner and elections have been postponed again,” Pargat said.
“Instead of deferring the elections, they (HI) should have moved an application to get the stay vacated. But Kalmadi and HI do not want to hold the elections, even if World Cup does not take place in India ,” said Pargat.
“Kalmadi sent his men to me for a negotiation. They said that Punjab will get the affiliation, if you accept Kalmadi as president of HI. I said I don’t want to be part of such trade-off. I was made to run around for 10 days for the affilitaion,” Pargat claimed.
“People like him are runing a sports mafia in the country. We will fight this mafia. Players want parental touch from federation and no one wants to revolt. But Kalmadi is playing games and pulling the strings and some former players are pawns in his hand,” said Pargat, who is in fray for a top HI post.
“He is afraid of election, that’s why they have put it off. Kalmadi has created a mess in Indian hockey. KPS Gill’s time was better than this.”
“When he was the president of Athletics Federation of India, he O(Kalmadi) couldn’t do anything. So, what will he do with hockey now?”
Pargat said the sports ministry has written so many letters to HI but without any effect.
“Sports Minister M.S. Gill is sincere. He is taking interest in the HI elections and talks about fairness and transparency.”
“What kind of message you are giving to the world, if you can’t hold a democratic election to a national sports federation?” Pargat asked.
- Pargat blames Kalmadi for hockey mess, IOA chief refutes (Lead) - Jan 24, 2010
- Flying Sikh Pargat Singh slams Suresh Kalmadi for Indian hockey revolt - Jan 24, 2010
- Hockey Punjab blames Kalmadi for affiliation mess - Jan 03, 2010
- HI, sports ministry on collision course (Lead) - Jan 25, 2010
- Kalmadi wants 'rubber stamp' hockey chief, says Pargat - Jul 26, 2010
- Pargat continues his tirade against Kalmadi - Jan 27, 2010
- We can solve the hockey mess through talks: K.P.S. Gill - Jul 28, 2010
- Hockey India raises doubts over Hockey Punjab's election - Jan 05, 2010
- Stokes, Batra win election; government derecognises Hockey India (Roundup) - Aug 06, 2010
- Pargat files nomination, confident of becoming hockey chief - Jul 17, 2010
- Pargat Singh fires another salvo at IOA President - Jan 27, 2010
- Gill turns down merger proposal with HI - Jun 24, 2011
- Stokes, Batra win HI election (Second Lead) - Aug 05, 2010
- KPS Gill holds AGM of superseded IHF - Apr 25, 2010
- Stokes beats Pargat to become Hockey India president (Lead) - Aug 05, 2010
Tags: affiliations, ambition, blasts, hockey federation, indian hockey, indian olympic association, ioa president, jan 24, mafia, mockery, negotiation, New Delhi, pawns, playing games, pulling the strings, rajasthan high court, revolt, sports ministry, suresh kalmadi, world cup