‘Aam Aadmi’s help needed to restore hockey’

Aslam Sher Khan said he wouldn't mind Shah Rukh Khan and other stars coming out to help Indian hockey achieve its past glory.

Expressing serious concern over decline of Indian Hockey in the recent past, Chairman of the ad-hoc selection committee of IHF, former olympian Aslam Sher Khan on Friday sought Aam Aadmi‘s participation to restore its prestine glory.

Describing suspension of K P S Gill-headed Indian Hockey Federation as a ‘historic’ step, Khan, who arrived in his native town for the first time after taking charge, said a comprehensive strategy including selection process was being worked out to revive Indian Hockey.

Aslam, a former Union Minister heading the five-member selection Committee, said he would not mind even Chak De India fame Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan and other stars coming out to help Indian hockey achieving its old heights.

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He said that Chak De loudly speaks Shah Rukh Khan’s eagerness to do what he can for the Indian Hockey. “I, on my part will do the same, what Shah Rukh had done to revive hockey in the field Chak De India”.

Asked whether the new committee headed by him would revive the decision, particularly the selection of players, Khan, who played stellar role in India’s hockey gold medal in mid-seventies said, “We are players. We do not believe in ill will. We can’t be vindictive. Our effort would be to see that good player should not suffer any discrimination”.

Asked how effective would be the new selection committee in reviving the Indian Hockey, Aslam said, “We will do our best with full responsibility in this regard”.

To a question what he had done as a member of the selection committee during his yearlong stint with Gill, he said, “I have been raising voices against those thing which destroyed Indian hockey, or brought it down to today’s level. I had resigned after raising such voices for two years,” he said adding that now he would see that such thing, including discrimination in selection should not happen.

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To another question whether cheerleaders were wanted to revive hockey like cricket, he said cricket is a high profile game, while ‘we want hockey for common people’.

Asked as to what transpired at the first selection committee meeting in Delhi on Thursday, he said the five-member committee discussed selection of candidates for the possible team for Malaysia.

“Unlike in the past, it was totally transparent. Media including print and electronic were present during the process,” Aslam said.

He also parried questions on revival of suspended federations of state units including Madhya Pradesh and said it will take some time as ‘we have to review all these things in due course of time’.