Kaushik to stay women's hockey team coach

New Delhi, Sep 20 (UNI) In a dramatic turn around, Maharaj Krishan Kaushik has decided to stay back as the coach for the women's team and will join the ongoing camp in Bangalore, the Indian Women Hockey Federation (IWHF) said today.

IWHF President Vijaya Stokes told UNI that Kaushik, who was announced as the Men's hockey coach by the ad-hoc committee set up by the IOA, has agreed to stay with the women's and will join the women's camp in Bangalore on Tuesday.

''I spoke to the ad-hoc committee and Kalmadi yesterday and all of them agreed to what we said,'' Stokes said.

''Our technical director Mr M P Ganesh has informed me that Kaushik does not have any problems taking up the job and he will stay with women's team till the 2010 Commonwealth Games,'' she said.

Stokes furthet added that it was the IWHF which took up Kaushik's case and got him here on deputation from his previous employer, the Haryana Sports Department.

''We have been trying for his (Kaushik's) deputation for the last two years. We managed to get him on deputation with the Sports Authority of India (SAI),'' she added.

The IWHF president further asserted that Kaushik was still under the contract with her organisation.

Kaushik's selection as the men's hockey team had left the IWHF in quandary as it did not know about the ad-hoc committee's decision.

''I can't say who will be the new coach for the women's team because we were not given any time or choice to think about the other coach,'' IWHF secretary Amrit Bose had said.

Meanwhile, Kaushik said he would take up any role that his employer (SAI) feels best for him.

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