Unless the Indian Hockey Federation wakes up to reality and acts, the sticks that once performed magic, will soon turn into firewood.

The failure to qualify for the Olympics following the defeat to Britain in the final at Santiago could be viewed as a massive setback or an opportunity to sweep the cobwebs in the administration and chart a new course.
 So, is there hope and future for Indian hockey? I am in the minority who believes all is not lost as yet. Of course, the belief is conditional to drastic change in the mindset among the administrators to begin with. It is not whether IHF president KPS Gill and his secretary K Jothikumaran should resign from their posts. Of equal importance is restructuring a system that gave generations of officials the power without responsibility and by extension, accountability.

Change is a top-to-bottom process and development is the reverse. The IHF could consider a team of qualified, market-savvy and paid professionals led by a Chief Executive Officer to put together a viable business model that could also be extended to the affiliated units while eliminating honorary posts.

Indian hockey is impoverished not just in funds but also in thought and vision. Cricket’s Indian Premier League might have its detractors, but the concept underlines the fact that sport is an entertainment industry. Perhaps, the IHF could take a closer look at the IPL and adapt it to suits its needs by tweaking the Premier Hockey League (PHL).

To an extent the PHL has “dressed up” Indian hockey with its revolutionary rules and format. It has raised sufficient funds to provide for unprecedented prize-money besides precious airtime on television and thus more visibility to hockey. But generally, hockey is perceived as poor man's cricket, and hence not equated to a white-collar job. It would take a lot of convincing for a corporate entity to invest in hockey as the existing environment does not facilitate “positioning” or appropriate “branding” of the prospective sponsor’s product.

To this end, it is essential that hockey is packaged and projected professionally. Harping on “love and passion” for the game will get nobody nowhere. Every action should necessarily follow business logic and that in turn would mean employing modern techniques through well-paid professionals.

Also, sooner the IHF extricates itself from the clutches of the government the better. Presently, the administration is beholden to the pleasure of the babus in the ministries. The decision to remove hockey from the priority list has tied a noose around the IHF’s neck and it is tightening. it’s a huge ask, no doubt. But Indian hockey has to bite the bullet and move on.

Sukhvir Grewal
(former India coach)

There is no long term planning at all. And where are the good coaches in India who can take us to the international level? A team needs to have physical trainers, sports psychologists and people in such specialised roles. They are not there. The world has gone far ahead. And the IHF is to blame for this.