IHF vice president quits after hockey debacle

Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) vice president Narendra Batra quit on Monday after the country's shocking failure to make it to the Olympics and begged the government to take over IHF to save the game.

"I have resigned in disappointment," Batra told IANS after eight times Olympic champions India lost 0-2 to Britain in the final of Olympic qualifier in Chile and failed to qualify for the mega event for the first time in 80 years.

"The government should take over the association for the next 10 years and run it through former sportspersons and administrators to bring hockey back on track," Batra pleaded.

Asked if IHF president K.P.S. Gill should share the blame and also resign, Batra said: "Morally, he should but he will not do so. He is stubborn."

The rift in IHF became public with Batra alleging that Gill and IHF secretary general K. Jyothikumaran were not on talking terms.

"I know that Gill and Jyothikumaran are not talking to one another for six to seven months. Hockey is in a mess," he said.

Batra also blamed coach Joaquim Carvalho for the debacle at Santiago.

"Joaquim was a compromise choice as coach. I will blame him for the debacle. But I will not blame the players because they live in sub-standard conditions, wash their own clothes and get almost no allowance," he said.