DNA
 
Mumbai, Nov 28: While his colleagues have time and again come out in the open against the autocratic functioning of the Indian Hockey Federation, he had always maintained a dignified silence.
 
But on Monday, Viren Rasquinha couldn't keep his emotions in check, letting flow his anguish in full media glare. The latest blow was perhaps too harsh. "The selectors owe me an explanation. Why was I dropped on the eve of the Indian team's departure for the Asian Games?" the ace midfielder said.
 
He doesn't know the answer himself. He only knows his name was there on the list of 16 announced on November 17, at the end of the selection trials in Rourkela. Then on Friday, the team members were put through another round of fitness tests in Gurgaon. Viren also remembers clearing the 2.4-km endurance test well under the cut-off time of nine minutes.
 
Yet, to his shock, he was informed by chief coach V Baskaran the next morning that "though he deserved to be in the team on current form and fitness", he had been dropped. IHF secretary general K Jothikumaran too felt "sorry" for him.
 
"But neither of them told me the reason. I have come to know from media reports that the selectors referred to the fitness tests on Friday as the criteria for team selection. As far as I know, no one questioned my fitness or commitment during the camp. I was always among the top three finishers in the fitness drills. I urge them to make the records public. This is the reward one gets for giving his 100 percent for the country," Viren's eyes turn moist.
 
"The selectors are all former Olympians. They are distinguished and respected people, but I am sorry to say that I have lost all respect for them. This is the third time this year that this has happened to me…" the emotions just refuse to subside. "I want to play for my country at the Doha games because I have worked immensely hard for it and I deserve to be there on sheer merit. There is still time, for as per the rules of the International Olympic Association, the team can be changed till the last day prior to the first match."
 
Does he realise the repercussions of his act? Given the IHF's past record, going public with grievances could also mean the end of his career. "I am not asking for any favour. All I want is justice. Someone had to take a stand. We are talking about our national sport. It can't run on personal agenda," the defender goes on the attack mode.

Did Selectors Plot to Drop Viren?

It is learnt that Rasquinha had become the target of a powerful lobby ever since the IHF started looking at him as a future captain

It has virtually become a routine to blame the administrators for controversies concerning the Indian hockey team's selection. But it's perhaps for the first time that the selectors, all former players themselves, are facing the heat for dropping the consistent Viren Rasquinha from the Asian Games squad.

The Mumbai-based midfielder is quite popular in hockey circles, both on and off the field. But ever since the top brass of the IHF began looking at him as a future captain, Rasquinha became a target for a powerful section of the selection committee.

The warning came just before the 2006 Commonwealth Games camp when he was suddenly dropped on ‘fitness' grounds.

For the Asian Games, DNA has learnt, the plan to axe Rasquinha was hatched in advance by three former Olympians — Harmeek Singh, Surinder Singh Sodhi and Gurbux Singh — all of whom are members of the selection committee. The task to bring up the issue before IHF boss KPS Gill in the selection committee meeting was given to Harendra and former Indian captain Ajit Pal Singh. Singh, it is learnt, was present there as a government nominee, yet he didn't hesitate to support the move to drop such an experienced player.

The five former players also advocated to Gill that Gurbaj Singh be considered for the Asiad. Incidentally, the report filed by IHF's developmental team coach Ramandeep Singh against Gurbaj in his only assignment outside the sub-continent was not taken into consideration.

Ramandeep had written to the IHF after the Australian tour earlier this year that "Gurbaj was not fit to be considered for future Indian teams".

A senior IHF official, who didn't want to be named, told DNA: "Harender, along with Harmeek, Surinder Singh Sodhi and Gurbux hijacked the IHF meeting and were bent upon dropping Rasquinha. They faced some resistance from chief coach Vasudevan Baskaran but the powerful group managed to convince the president (Gill). Finally, he too agreed to drop Rasquinha."

DNA also asked IHF secretary K Jothikumaran about his version. He declined to reveal the details, but did say that "as far as I know Viren was training hard at the camp".