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A group of former Indian hockey captains and legends staged a protest outside the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium on Friday. The reason was to call for a major clean-up of the national federation amid an ongoing power struggle.
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The veterans, including Pramod Batlaw, Ashok Diwan, Romeo James and Asunta Lakra, gathered with placards and submitted a memorandum to Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.
They demanded the dissolution of the current Executive Committee and the appointment of an ad hoc panel comprising former players, Olympians, a retired judge or legal expert, and observers from the sports ministry and Sports Authority of India. The proposed committee would manage the federation’s affairs and hold fresh elections within six months.
Why are hockey legends protesting in New Delhi? Here is all you need to know
They also sought strict compliance with the National Sports Development Code, including age and tenure limits, greater athlete representation, and an end to what they described as the growing influence of non-hockey personnel in decision-making. One placard read: “Hockey ka ABCD pata nahi, ban gaya Secretary.”
The protest comes against the backdrop of internal rifts involving president Dilip Tirkey and secretary general Bhola Nath Singh, which escalated after a controversial jersey colour change and related disputes.
Meanwhile, the Indian hockey team had been impressive as they beat hosts Japan 2-0 and reached the semifinals. The defending champions showed composure in a tightly contested fixture, with Abhishek and captain Harmanpreet Singh scoring to complete their fourth consecutive win in Pool A. Women;s team also beat the hosts 3-1 to reach the semifinals.
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