JOIN USA bench headed by Acting Chief Justice AK Sikri reserved its order after the counsel for Joachim Caravalho the Centre and the Hockey India concluded their arguments.
Counsel Jayant Bhushan, appearing for Caravalho, said HI was trying to prevent players from deriving monetary gains by participating in WSH as it was for the first time that such a tournament was being organised.
“They (HI) want to ruin the financial prospects of not just 11 or 24 players but the top 48 players of the country”, he said.
Bhushan alleged HI’s camp, which is to be held to prepare the players for the Olympics for a total of 71 days, was organised with the sole purpose of preventing them from participating in WSH. He said it is illegal on the part of HI to threaten disqualification of those players participating in the tournament.
“The whole idea is to deliberately prevent them (players) from playing in WSH.” He also said HI intended to start its own league in 2013 and they wanted the players to wait till then.
Referring to the Supreme Court order in the matter related to the row between HI and IHF, Bhushan said: “The apex court recognised you (HI) only to the extent of choosing players for the national team but it is not entitled to disqualifying players solely on the ground of participating in WSH.” Advocate Sandeep Sethi, appearing for HI, opposed the PIL and justified the long training camp for the players on the ground that the hockey team has not been successful in previous Olympic games and it was necessary to win a medal in such events.
“Therefore, we cannot go by what one petitioner has to say against the preparatory camp”, Sethi added referring to the objection to the long training camp.
Nimbus Sports offered to reschedule their event to avoid any clash of dates and also to protect the interest of players but it also sought an assurance from HI that they would not organise any other programme which might coincide with the rescheduled event.