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Retirement after Paris, announced Srejesh

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Retirement after Paris, announced Srejesh

India last won gold in hockey at the 1980 Moscow Olympics. Srejesh and her team won the bronze in Tokyo after forty long years. The campaign of the Indian team will begin in Paris on July 27.

He will play the last Olympics hockey for India in Paris. After that, the long eighteen-year hockey career will end. Indian men’s hockey team experienced goalkeeper PR Srejesh informed. He said this on social media on Monday.

India last won gold in hockey at the 1980 Moscow Olympics. Srejeshra won the bronze in Tokyo after forty long years. The campaign of the Indian team will begin in Paris on July 27. The first match is against New Zealand.

The 36-year-old Kerala player Srejesh has played 328 matches for the country. Represented the country in the Olympics three times in the jersey. The experienced goalkeeper will pick up the hockey stick after Paris. In a statement, he said, “I have reached the end of my international hockey career. This memorable journey started from G V Raja Sports School. Dreamed every step of the way. Got support from loved ones till the last day.”

While reminiscing, Srejesh also told the story of buying his first kit. Said, “My father bought the first hockey kit by selling his cow. His sacrifice made me stubborn that day. Motivates to work hard. Taught me to dream bigger.”

The pain of losing all those matches at the London Olympics twelve years ago still haunts him equally. In Srejesh’s words, “The memories of the 2012 London Olympics still haunt me. But that was the turning point for me. I stood up again after learning from that failure. Broadened my shoulders.”

Srejesh wants to give his best in Paris too. In his words, “Getting ready to land in Paris for the last time. Hoping to make the country proud. The color of the medal should be changed.”

Captain Harmanpreet Singh said, “I want to make Srejesh’s farewell memorable by winning a medal in Paris.” He also said, “Srijesh is another name for inspiration to all of us. We learned by watching him.”

 

An Australian hockey player was caught red-handed while buying illegal drugs

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Australian hockey player arrested for buying cocaine

Drugs in Paris Olympics. A player also got involved. A member of the Australian hockey team was arrested for buying banned drugs on Wednesday. The drug dealer was also arrested. The detainees are in the custody of Paris police.

Australia won silver in men’s hockey at the Tokyo Olympics. They did not even reach the semi-finals in Paris. Tom Craig added to that frustration. He was caught red-handed by central Paris police while buying illegal cocaine. A Paris police official said, “A young man was selling illegal drugs under a residence. He was in possession of a variety of illegal drugs, including cocaine. About 75 paper wrappers were found. Synthetic drugs have also been found. Craig went to buy 1 gram of cocaine from the young man around 12:30 pm. At that time two people were caught red-handed.

The alleged seller is 17 years old. The Australian hockey midfielder is 29 years old. Therefore, a complaint of buying prohibited drugs from a minor has also been filed against him. The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) also confirmed the incident. “Craig is in police custody,” the Australian team said. Investigation has started. This incident will not affect our team. Police authorities are being contacted.

Australia’s hockey team has been knocked out by losing to the Netherlands in the quarter-finals of this year’s Olympics. After 52 years, they also lost to India in the Olympics.

Hitler wanted to give him citizenship, we could not give ‘Bharat Ratna’

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we could not give 'Bharat Ratna'

1928, 1932, 1936 — India won gold in three consecutive Olympics. India’s golden age at that time! His only craftsman was Dhyan Chand, the ‘wizard of hockey’. Today is his 111th birth anniversary. In memory of one of the best athletes of the country, National Sports Day is being observed across the country. But, even after 37 years of his death, we still could not fulfill Dhyan Chand’s regret. Dhyan Chand once lamented that Bhai Roop Singh and his namesake street in Berlin, but in this country they were not given that importance. Let’s take a look at some unknown facts about Dhyan Chand.

Dhyan Chand decided to play hockey after joining the army

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Dhyan Chand decided to play hockey after joining the army

Historians believe that the game of hockey originated in Greece. Hockey is thought to have originated in later times, possibly from the game played by the Greeks in the fifth century BC with a long stick and ball bent towards the head. Apart from ancient Greece, this game was known by different names in different countries like Rome, Scotland, Egypt, South America. Archaeologists discovered a carving on an ancient wall in Athens. It depicts two men fighting for control of a ball with two sticks. Others stand by and watch their fight. According to researchers, this image indicates the antiquity of hockey. According to many researchers, such a scene of playing hockey has been recorded in a pyramid about three thousand years ago.

As far as is known, the first international hockey game started in 1895 AD. Roughly speaking, hockey was born in Greece, but hockey was played in England in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Most of the current rules of international hockey are developed in England. Ireland faced England in the first international match in 1895. England won the game 5-0. In 1908, the game of hockey was included in the Olympics and in 1942, the international governing body of hockey, the Federation Internationale de Hockey, was established. The first Hockey World Cup was organized in 1958. Currently, the main governing body of international hockey is the International Hockey Federation. Hockey World Cup was organized on their initiative.

This introduction is actually to say that India emerged as a major force in world hockey competition in the 20th century. Dhyan Chand’s name is intimately connected with this rise. This legendary hockey player was born on August 29, 1905. In his honor this day is celebrated as India’s National Sports Day. His father Sameshwar Singh served in the army. As a result Dhyan Chand came to Jhansi as a child. His father used to play hockey regularly in the army team. But Dhyan Chand’s main attraction in his childhood was wrestling, not hockey. Dhyan Chand himself joined the army at the age of 16. Dhyan Chand started playing hockey from there. Dhyan Chand’s original name was Dhyan Singh. He practiced at night as well. It is said that his teammates added the word ‘Chand’ to his name because he stayed up all night. Dhyan Singh became Dhyan Chand, the hockey wizard.

There are many legends about this legendary player. An interesting incident happened at the 1932 Olympics. That time India beat USA by 24-1 margin in Olympic hockey. And India beat Japan by 11-1. Dhyan Chand scored 12 goals. And his brother Roop Singh scored 13 goals. They had 25 of India’s total of 35 goals. The Berlin Olympics of 1936 were called by many as ‘meditational’. At this time, during the Olympics, there were posters all over the city of Berlin saying, ‘Don’t forget to come to the Olympic Stadium.’ An Indian magician will perform there. Naam Dhyan Chand.’ Such was the effect of his playing and the awe of the audience. Many people involved in sports research believe that it is difficult to say whether any single player associated with any sport in the world has had such an all-encompassing impact.

It is said that after the 1936 Olympics, Adolf Hitler, impressed by Dhyan Chand’s performance, wanted Dhyan Chand to take German citizenship and join the army of that country. But Dhyan Chand rejected his proposal. The player was later awarded the Padma Bhushan by the Government of India. The tradition created by his hand was later successfully carried on by the Indian side hockey players.

However, if Dhyan Chand’s playing career is to be measured in terms of mere statistics, there is a risk of getting it wrong. It must be remembered that at the time when Dhyan Chand was making his debut as a player, hockey was known as a gentleman’s game just like cricket or football. The game was dominated by the English for a long time after the First World War. This player first questioned that supremacy. It is true that he played for a British-ruled country, but at that time Dhyan Chand was one of the pioneers in building the confidence that Indians could compete eye-to-eye with the rest of the world. Later, the Indian team won the hockey by defeating the English team. It seems that the victorious players of that day must have remembered this legendary predecessor in the world of hockey with the loss of the former rulers of the country.

Ashraful is very happy to get 10 lakh rupees

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The annual income of a top level cricketer in Bangladesh crossed crores long ago. The remuneration of some of the top footballers also reaches crores a year.

But the annual income of a top level hockey player in Bangladesh is not at all telling. The income of hockey players is Premier League. That league is not regular. If there is a league in three years and a national team player in that league gets five lakh rupees, how much does it cost in an average year? Not even two lakhs.

Still, hockey players are happy with what they get. The reshuffle of the Bangladesh Premier Hockey League, which is about to begin on January 31 after 28 months, is like Eid-Anand for some of the hockey players. Some players are smiling. Getting calls from the clubs, bargaining themselves.

In the meantime, Abahani Limited has cleaned up the house first. The Blues have picked up some of the country’s top players. The biggest name in that list is the essential defender of the national team, Ashraful Islam.

Ashraful is known as the country’s best penalty corner specialist. In the first franchise hockey league held in Dhaka in late 2022, his goals were the highest among local players with 12. Arguably according to many, Ashraful is the best hockey player in the country right now.

Ashraful played for Mohammedan in the last Premier League held in 2021. This time too the whites wanted to keep him. But in the end he couldn’t. It is reported that Ashraful is getting the highest salary so far among the locals.

Ashraful told Prothom Alo about his remuneration, “I received 8.5 lakh taka from Mohammedan in the last league. That was the highest salary last year. I don’t know exactly how much someone else is getting. But I can say for myself, I am going for 10 lakhs in Abahani. All final.’

When Abahani club officials were asked about this, he refused to say anything about it. However, he said that today he came to the hockey stadium with Ashraful and took the token to himself today.

Ashraful played in Dhaka League (Mariners) for the first time in 2012 as a student of BKSP for 29 thousand 500 taka. Remuneration has increased over time. Ashraful is very happy with this, “Hockey players don’t ask for much.” We want the league to be regular. But because it is not, we suffer. Where footballers or cricketers don’t get time off to play year-round, there has been only one hockey league in the last 5 years. In fact, without the league, the players have no bread. In the league, the players see some money.

Why did Mohammedan leave? In response to this question, Ashraful said, “Mohammedan wanted to keep me.” One of the club’s officials told me, “Take as much money as you need.” But this time I promise Abahani before Mohammedan.’

Ashraful is going to play his sixth league in his 11-year domestic career. Played in Abahani earlier in 2014 and 2018. He played for the Mariners in 2012 and 2016.

Hockey players are now doing spoken English classes

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Not just playing. After the game, there will be a two-hour spoken English class. But vacation. This is the rule now at SS Girls Hockey Training Center in Simdegar. In this hockey training center of Jharkhand government, 50 players are now taking spoken English classes from 6 to 8 after hockey training.

Simdega in Jharkhand is famous for hockey. Many girls from here have played for the Indian women’s national hockey team. Many have also played in the Olympic Games. Simdega’s daughter Assunta Lakra, Sumrai Teta was the captain of the Indian hockey team. Hailing from the remote village of Simdega, these girls can perform magic with a hockey stick. But when they go to foreign countries to play, they fall behind in talking to other players, coaches from foreign countries. They don’t speak Hindi well. Can’t speak English. According to Manoj Konbargi, General Secretary of SS Girls Hockey Training Center in Simdegar, “These talented girls are often held back due to language problems. Unable to ‘communicate’ with foreign coaches. As a result, it is hindering their personality development. They are suffering from lack of confidence because they can’t speak English. Got a response. About 50 girls enthusiastically attend spoken English classes after hockey training.

Most of the girls from very poor families from the surrounding villages of Simdega are listed as BPL. English is nominally taught in the schools they attend. Apart from that, they often go to other states to play various tournaments. Then the school is over. Manoj Konbargi said that most of these girls speak local tribal languages. Hindi says broken broken. As a result, the language problem is becoming a big problem while playing at the international level.

Deepika Soren, Deepti Kullu, Sangeeta Kumari from Simdegar recently played in National Hockey Games. All of them are now taking spoken English classes. In Deepika’s words, “I could not understand the instructions of coaches from foreign states because I do not know English. They were very upset. Girls who can speak and understand English well would be much better coached than us.” Deepti Kullu says, “When we go to international competitions, our fellow players often make fun of us because of the language problem. We suffer from inferiority. If we can speak English, we will go further.”

The language problem of Jharkhand’s talented hockey players came to the fore in Shahrukh Khan starrer ‘Chawk De India’. The film shows a tribal player from Jharkhand coming to Delhi to be coached by Sui Muay hockey coach Kabir Khan. Sui Mui neither speaks nor understands Hindi. English is not. When asked anything, Sui Mui would just say, “Ho ho.”

Deepika Soren is determined to change that scenario of Chak De India. So English education classes are going on parallel with hockey.

What is the Bangladesh Hockey Federation doing?

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All sports are more or less present in the sports world of Bangladesh. Top level cricketers and footballers are busy on the field throughout the year. But the third major game of hockey is 180 degrees opposite! The domestic organization of this one game in Bangladesh is the most irregular. It has no chronology. When a game, no one can say. Clubs play only when they want to play. Otherwise the game is not played.

From 2019, the premier hockey league has been held only once in 5 years! Two years have passed since the last league ended on November 28, 2021, with no news from the league. The officials spent the next 12-14 months floundering in the satisfaction of finishing a league. This raises the question, what is the job of hockey officials in Bangladesh? Going to the federation to have tea and breakfast and go on a trip abroad? From the perspective of the situation, it seems so.

If you open the book of domestic hockey, you will find a chaotic situation. In the 25 years from 1998, the Dhaka Premier League was held only 13 times. Except for three consecutive years from 2002 to 2004, there has never been a Premier League for two consecutive years. The 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018 leagues maintain the unwritten tradition of being held in consecutive years. After 2018, the longest hiatus of three years in the history of the hockey league.

If there is no Premier League, naturally there is no first, second division either. The situation of these two leagues is the same as the Premier League. In the last 25 years since 1998, the first division league has been held 12 times. Since 2012, the second division league has been held only 5 times. The last Victory Day tournament was held in 2020. Martyr memory is in 2021. After many struggles, after four years, the first and second division leagues of 2021 have taken place this year. Apart from these two events, nothing else happened in domestic hockey in 2023.

The League Committee of the Federation held a meeting in the third week of October with the initiative of organizing the Premier League this year. According to Federation General Secretary Mominul Haque Saeed, 10 out of 12 premier clubs (Abahani, Mohammedan, Mariners, Sonali Bank, Ajax, Wari, Dilkusha, Victoria, Bangladesh Police and General Insurance) agreed to switch teams before the national elections. The two clubs of old Dhaka in the Premier League, former champion Usha Krira Chakra and Bangladesh Sporting did not want to change teams now. However, with the consent of the majority, the draft date of devolution is fixed between 25 November and 5 December. This year, Usha returned to premier hockey after winning the first division. But the Premier League is not happening.

But on November 8, the hockey federation’s executive committee meeting at the Air Force’s Falcon Hall scuttled the transfer talks. It is known that, in the meeting, the general secretary of the federation cited the example of football and cricket and raised the question ‘why not hockey’. But the problem is that those who are hockey club officials are also federation officials. They talk about various problems in the Federation meeting.

Abdur Rashid, the general secretary of Usha, as the vice-president of the federation, in the meeting, opposed the change of party before the national elections and highlighted various problems including finances. But Usha is the only Premier League club, which only plays hockey. Other club representatives were silent on the transfer talks. The General Secretary of the Federation is talking about his helplessness, “When they are silent, their reluctance can be understood. When our officials did not speak in support of my proposal for a change of party, what else to do! A proposal which is rejected at the outset cannot be fought over. I talked to various clubs and solved some problems personally but convinced them to switch teams. But in the end I couldn’t. This failure is mine.

Bangladeshi clubs have no fixed income. They run on sponsor money. Here lies the misfortune of hockey. A club can play cricket-football regularly with sponsor’s money, but during hockey, the state has objections. Of course, this is nothing new. The federation has long been a hostage to the club. Clubs cannot show accountability most of the time. If the federation does not have a preferred general secretary, non-cooperation prevails. There is factionalism among officials.

Usha official Abdur Rashid did not pick up the phone when called to ask for an explanation as to why there was reluctance to switch parties before the elections. However, Bangladesh Sporting general secretary Mostak Hossain told Prothom Alo, “We have financial problems. But we will definitely play after the election.

Former player Mahbubul Ehsan is the joint secretary of Abahani and is also the joint secretary of the federation. As an official of Abahani, he said, ‘We are willing to play at any time. I agree even if you change the party tomorrow.’ Then why didn’t the party change? Mahbub Ehsan said, “As an official of the federation, our idea from the federation was to change the team before the Asian Games and start the league after the games.” But that did not happen due to the reluctance of some clubs. Donors will not give money before elections, they said. However, I believe that if the clubs tried a little more, the league would have happened now. I’m disappointed not to. Shame on the players too.

Ashraful Islam, another player of the national team, sighs, “What is the price of things now, how will the hockey players go!” It won’t happen if only 30 players are good. What will the remaining 100 people eat? What is the news of hockey, when he wants to know it at home, he feels small.’ Khorshedur Rahman lamented, ‘If the forces did not help, the hockey players would have died of starvation. Whether our game is good or not, not even a crow takes notice.

This regret of hockey players, when will this disappointment go away!

India is showing strength in junior hockey after seniors

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Indian hockey team won gold in Asian Games. This time the junior hockey team of India went on to win the title. India reached the semi-finals of the Sultan of Johor Cup by defeating New Zealand 6-2. India took a 3-0 lead in the first quarter. The Indian team could have won by 6-1 had they not conceded a goal in the last minute.

New Zealand is slightly ahead of India in terms of team strength. However, it was not understood in the field fight. Indian players showed power from the beginning of the match. The Indian team earned a penalty corner in the first minute. Amandeep Lakra did not make a mistake to score after 2 minutes. Amandeep completed the hat trick by scoring two more goals in the 7th and 35th minutes of the match. His second goal also came from a penalty corner. Arun Sahani scored two goals. He scored in 12 and 53 minutes. The other goal was scored by Pubanna Chandura Bobby in the 52nd minute of the match. Despite scoring goals at regular intervals, the Indian team also wasted a few easy chances. New Zealand goal scorer Luke Aldred. He scored in the 29th and 60th minutes.

India advanced to the last four of the competition after winning against New Zealand as group champions. However, a tough fight awaits India in the semi-finals. To play with one of the teams in Germany, Australia or Great Britain.

Governor of Bengal at home of gold winning hockey star

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Bengal Governor CV Anand Bose on Thursday visited Asian Games gold-winning Indian hockey team goalkeeper PR Sreejesh. The golden boy unleashed anger against the CPM-led Pinarayi Vijayan government in Kerala after receiving Bose at his Ernakulam home. At the same time, he was overwhelmed by the congratulations of the Governor of Bengal.

Several Malayalam media quoted Sreejesh as saying, “Since I returned to Ernakulam after playing the Asian Games, no one from the government, let alone the Chief Minister, even from the local panchayat came to congratulate me. Which is regrettable for me as a player.” With royal welcome. Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik invited my teammate Amit Ruidas to the Indian hockey team and gave him a monetary award. All this makes me feel more disappointed.

Incidentally, Governor Bose of Bengal is also a native of Kerala. He was also a bureaucrat in Kerala government. The governor flew to Delhi soon after the meeting with Abhishek Banerjee to bring the Trinamool’s statement on the arrears of the 100-day work housing scheme in Bengal to the notice of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. After completing that work, Bose is currently in his own state. On Thursday, he went to congratulate Sreejesh. It has been claimed in Kerala’s local media that as Sreejesh thanked the Governor of Bengal, he expressed his regret about the role of the Kerala government.

Bangladesh’s domestic hockey is just a story of disappointment

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International success is coming in hockey, but it is largely at the hands of BKSP players. Bangladesh’s domestic hockey is just a story of disappointment. Where stuck hockey?

The memory of the country’s first franchise hockey league last November at the Maulana Bhasani Stadium is still fresh. All grievances from the hockey family were then sent home for a few days. Many hoped that a new day would return to domestic hockey. There will be no shortage of money. Clubs won’t hold back. At least domestic games will be regular.

But it was actually an illusion. At the end of the franchise league, everything is back to normal. The old tussle with the domestic league is still going on. In 2018, the first division hockey, which was last held after four years, changed teams last November 21-24. But two and a half months later, there is still no news of the game being built on the field. Such an incident is unprecedented in Bangladesh sports arena.

The demand of 12 clubs of the first division league, they have to give financial donations. In 2021, the Hockey Federation has donated 1 crore rupees from the Prime Minister to 12 clubs of the Premier League. Now 12 clubs in the first division are also asking for something like that. The federation also promised some grants for the sake of bringing the game to the ground. The clubs are not agreeing to play because that promise is not being fulfilled.

Former national hockey player Kamrul Islam (Kismat), the hockey editor of Dhaka Wanderers, one of the clubs of the first division hockey league, said, “The federation told 12 clubs of the first division to pay Tk 2 lakh before the change of teams.” But even though the change of party is over, it has not given yet. When the money is paid, the game will begin.

If the club will run with the money of the federation, it is not a solution. But if the federation has made a promise, they have to take the responsibility of fulfilling it. As Kamrul Imlam is also the joint secretary of the Hockey Federation, the question was asked to him – why is the federation not fulfilling its promises? But the answer was not found, ‘I don’t know that. Acting general secretary, vice-presidents can say. Kamrul Islam claims that even if the federation’s fixed deposit is broken if necessary, the club should be given money. It is not understandable why it is not being broken now due to such need.

Federation Fixed Deposits are not intended to grant grants to clubs. But as hockey has no other activities, there is a proposal to break the fixed deposit and put the clubs on the field. Helplessness in the voice of Mohammad Yusuf, Acting General Secretary of the Federation, “We have told the clubs that the Federation has a financial crisis. But the club will not play without money. But the game must begin. Therefore, the vice-presidents told the clubs to discuss with the president (Chief of the Air Force Air Marshal Sheikh Abdul Hannan) and arrange the grant. Now the president will decide.

It is learned that two sponsors have been contacted for donations but have not received any response. So the idea of giving grants to the clubs from the federation is going on. A decision in this regard is expected to be made in the next one-two weeks.

But in the end, it will be a bad example if the clubs are paid money, former national player and coach Mahbub Haroon thinks, ‘if the federation gives money, I will play, otherwise I will not play, it cannot happen. I have never seen this in Bangladesh hockey in the past. What is the benefit of them if they say they will not play the club?

Hockey in Bangladesh has always been a hostage in the hands of the club. The club officials sit in the chair of the federation, conflicts between them have been exposed many times. The latest came after former general secretary Muminul Haque Saeed went into hiding on charges of involvement in the casino scandal.

Acting General Secretary Mohammad Yusuf could not be accepted by the hockey organizers of Old Dhaka. Yusuf is playing hockey in Dhaka despite being the organizer of Chittagong. So no ‘teamwork’ has developed in the hockey federation. This has affected the overall performance. Although many things have changed in the sports arena of Bangladesh in the past few years, only hockey has not changed.

The franchise league is a beacon of hope in stagnant domestic hockey. But now there is disappointment with that league too. Two and a half months have passed since the end of the league, but the local players have received only half of their remuneration so far. The franchisees could not pay the remaining amount even after being given time several times.

The anger among the players is increasing. Ishtiaq Sadek, chief executive officer of Ace, the country’s first franchise hockey rights buying company, is disappointed about not being able to pay the players’ salaries on time. Therefore, the remaining money cannot be given to the local players.

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