New Delhi, Mar 24: Indignant at India's failure to qualify for the Beijing Olympics, angry fans demanded an overhauling of the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) and burnt the effigy of president KPS Gill.

The Hockey Fans Club of India held a demonstration here yesterday to condemn Gill and the IHF for ruining the game in the country.
''The situation is so grim that we have lost our standing in the game. The Federation has not taken any step to check its deterioration,'' Secretary of the club, Avtar Singh Verka said. ''We share the national grief over India's failure to reach the Olympics. We demand the removal of Gill. Besides, present coach Joaquim Carvalho's resignation be accepted and Australia's Ric Charlesworth be handed over the full charge of the team,'' he added.

According to Verka, a new set of officials should be appointed to run the IHF keeping in view the 2010 World Cup to be held in India.

''A new team of the Federation should be elected ahead of the World Cup and matches of this event be held in Delhi,'' he stated.

UNI