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No, it is not KPS ‘super cop’ Gill who came under media scrutiny this time but his secretary K Jothikumaran who has been blamed for another debacle in Indian hockey. Indian Hockey Federation secretary K Jothikumaran’s destiny didn’t favour him for the first time in past 14 years and the camera caught him demanding and taking bribe to select hockey player in national side. The power of money, not the performance, was the basis of the selection of the Hockey player to play in next tournament.
There were some rumors about such shady deals involving him but it has been proved now and the man, second most powerful person in IHF, has been exposed by a sting operation. People have seen him on TV channel taking money to get a player selected for the Azlan Shah Cup to be held at Kuala Lumpur in May. It gives an impression that Indian Hockey is in hands of monsters and struggling to stay alive in the country.
Jothikumaran has been IHF Secretary for 14 years and he, along with K P S Gill, has been blamed for Indian hockey's decline over the last couple of decades.
The channel showed Jothikumaran receiving Rs 2 lakh and claimed that after 4-5 days he confirmed the selection of the player in the list of probables for Azlan Shah Cup tournament.
Later, former hockey player Dhanraj Pillay remembered how Jothikumaran had selected Adam Sinclair to play in the 2004 Athens Olympic. He claimed that Sinclair did not know how to hit the ball and coach Gerard Rach taught him thrice a day the basics of the game.
For KPS gill, this is not a serious matter. He was looking non-committal when asked about any investigation or inquiry against his secretary. He said:
The channel have shown him taking money. We have to look into the seriousness of the allegations. Probes, inquiries are different things.
Former India captain Pargat Singh said on the matter:
We have been hearing about it for a long time. This is a shocking thing to have happened. He should be immediately sacked and a criminal case should be lodged against him. It is a great shame, that has brought the downfall of hockey and Jothikumar and Gill should be shown the door.
Who is K Jothikumaran – He was an obscure hockey player in university-level game. He worked as a clerk with the State Bank of India. His rise to power in IHF has been phenomenal and he became the second-most powerful man in Indian hockey. Former IHF president MAM Ramaswamy favored Jothi’s selection into the hockey officialdom in early 90s. Since then, one time SBI clerk opened a chain of hotels in Madurai. He even supported Gill’s entry into IHF in 1994 and Gill rewarded him with the post of Secretary in Federation.
He is the member of International Hockey Federation's Development & Coaching Council. He is country’s key man at all international forums, including Indian Olympic Association, Asian Hockey Federation, Asian Games and FIH. Finally, the co-ordinator of FIH's 'Revive Indian Hockey' project damaged the infrastructure of India’s national game.
Where are the fresh talents? Where are the experienced players? It is better to stop sending Indian team in international tournaments than giving the power to control the hockey federation in corrupt hands. Let the game die if there is no one who could revive Indian Hockey in real.
