FP News Service
Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh)
Hockey players in civil services women’s hockey team have been waiting for the recruitment of hockey players in government jobs under sports quota for more than two decades to have a better team and thus compete with rival teams more effectively next time.
“We have to play at the age of 55-60 because there has been no new recruitment of woman hockey players who have played at national level, in the government jobs under sports quota for at least two and a half decades”, said a player wishing anonymity.
A senior player mentioned, “ when we played in Kurukshetra civil services last year , we were appreciated by calling “dadi and nani” but this year it was used in a derogatory way.”
All India civil services hockey tournament was held in Bhopal, MP, at Major Dhyanchand hockey stadium in the last week of June.
Most of the other teams' players in the tournament were approximately 30-40 years old, but MP women's team's players were the oldest among them.
Talking to Free Press the woman players said along with the recruitment issue, neither they were provided with a coach nor enough time for rehearsal ahead of the tournament. They even had to even attend their office even after playing the matches.
While talking to Free Press Vinod Pradhan, Joint Director, Sports, said, "There have been recruitments in other sports but not hockey."
Another team member said, “All of us have played and won many tournaments but then we had physical fitness and a regular practice. But now as we are ageing and we don't have any time off to play, we are unable to perform like we used to do earlier.”
She said, “Hockey is a team sport but when more than half of the team members are above 55 and are playing against such players who are half their age, it is a lost game.”
Box 1
Captain of MP Civil Services the team MPCS women's hockey, Savita Surve who has played at the national level said, “I was recruited in government job in 1986. We are being criticized for our fitness and game, but no one is questioning why we have to play at this age. Why don't we have new players and younger people in our team."
Box 2
Team member Lucy Alphanso, who is around 61, said, “I will be retiring in five months but still I am playing."
(Contributed by Minal Tomar and Apoorva Chakrayat)
