Orissa Hockey Association Secretary resignation demanded

Rourkela, Jan 16 (UNI) Political leaders and hockey players today demanded the resignation of Orissa Hockey Association Secretary Pratap Satpathy for his alleged remark against former Indian Hockey Captain Dillip Tirkey.

Mr Satpathy, who is also the team manager for the ongoing Premier Hockey league tournament held Tirkey responsible for the ouster of defending champion Orissa Steelers from the semifinals of the just concluded Premier hockey league.

Mr Satpathy alleged that Tirkey did not give his hundread per cent efforts for the team'and lacked sincerity. He stayed in the team despite being unfit and backed out from the tie breaker procedure in the semifinals.

Tirkey described the allegation as unfortunate, baseless and unwarranted.

In protest against the remark the politicians and eminent hockey players of Sundergarh today marched in a procession and submitted a memorandum addressed to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to the Rourkela Additional District Magistrate.

Those who participated in the protest march included Mr Gregory Minz, Mr Prafulla Majhi, Mr Sarada Prasanna Nayak and Mr Hallu Mundari (All MLAs) Bijay Topo, Peter Tirkey and other eminent hockey players.

They demanded that the authorities to shift the headquarter of Hockey Association from Cuttack to Sundergarh and sent a copy of the memorandum to Indian Hockey Federation Chief K P S Gill.

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