Apathy prevents Karnataka boys from contest

Bangalore, Apr 26 (UNI) Apathy by Andhra Hockey Association (AHA) deprived last year quarter finalist Karnataka from contesting in the Sub-Junior National Hockey Championship, which concluded in Bhimavaram on April 25.

Karnataka State Hockey Association (KSHA) General Secretary K Krishnamurthy told UNI that of the total 18 Boys 10 were disqualified on the ground of overage and despite request the team was not allowed to play with full team. "There were no proper medical team as such to determine age of the Boys, besides the Age Certificates given by the respective Schools were not considered as age proof. Those who were not professionally Doctors were made to determine the age of the boys and despite protest the case was not considered thus depriving the team from participating".

Karnataka had won the title twice in 2001 and 2003.

KSHA Joint Secretary T Shanmugam, who accompanied the team as Manager, said that " no proper medical examination was done.

Whatever medical examination done was in a shady manner and when the matter was brought to the knowledge of AHA Secretary M Niranjan Reddy he refused to entertain any complaint. Moreover, the so called doctors were refusing to give certificate for disqualification despite written complaint." Shanmugam said that though the Tournament was supposed to start on April 18 it was postponed and on April 20 when the matches started players from Chandigarh could not play as they were held up for medical checkup.

He said that though a written complaint, signed by the 12 State team Managers was given no action was taken. In all 33 teams participated in the Tournament. The organisers asked other States to field the team by lifting disqualification of a few players. But even this consideration was not shown to Karnataka team instead asked to play with only eight players which was highly impossible.

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