Vid players to attend Hockey Maharashtra’s selection trials

By Paritosh Pramanik

WITH Hockey India (HI) suspending Vidarbha Hockey Association (VHA) for the season, players from several districts affiliated with VHA have no other option but to seek help of Hockey Maharashtra in saving their careers.
Several players from Nagpur as well as from Amravati, Akola, Yavatmal, Chandrapur, Wardha—all affiliated with VHA — have left for Pune to attend the selection trials for the forthcoming Hockey India’s 9th Sub-junior men and sub-junior women nationals, it has been learnt.
Hockey Maharashtra plays in Division A while Vidarbha participates in second-tier Division B national tournaments organised by Hockey India.
The 9th Hockey India Sub-Junior Men National Championship ‘A’ Division is going to be held at Raipur, Chhattisgarh from May 11 to 22 while the sub-junior women’s meet is going to be held at Hisar in Haryana from May 27 to 
June 7. 
Hockey India has suspended VHA for the season due to the infighting among the executive members.
VHA, which is divided in two groups, had sent two teams for men’s senior and junior nationals late last year which forced Hockey India to bar both the teams from participation. Immediately, Hockey India suspended VHA until the dispute is resolved.
This had put a big question mark on the career of players without any fault of theirs. 
BC Bhartia, the then president of the association approached High Court challenging Hockey India’s decision to suspend them. The High Court has asked Deputy Charity Commissioner, Nagpur to appoint an Administrator until the dispute is resolved.
In the meantime, eight executive members of VHA passed a resolution to suspend president Bhartia and secretary Vinod Gawai for irregularities and dictatorial functioning.
They also promoted vice-president Arvind Joshi as president and joint secretary Pramod Jain as secretary.
But still, the ‘newly appointed’ heads of the association failed to revoke Hockey India’s decision of suspensions. This forced helpless players to move to greener pasture and they decided to appear for Hockey Maharashtra’s trials. The sub-junior women’s trials will be held on April 24 while the sub-junior boys’ trials will be held from April 25 at Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Mhalunge, Balewadi.
City’s sub-junior girls, who have played a combined eight nationals for Vidarbha, have left for Pune on Tuesday.
Himanshi Gawande, Sharvari Kumbhare, Prerna Bodkhe and Ishika Mondal will be reaching Pune on Wednesday morning to attend the one day trial.
Similarly, Kaustubh Baradiya and Raunak Chaudhary, both of Nagpur, too, left for Pune to attend the sub-junior boys trials.
“Players from Amravati, Akola, Wardha, Yavatmal, Armori will also be attending trials at Pune. We have no other option but to send players to Pune as the bickering between two factions of Vidarbha is unending.
“They (VHA officials) have nothing to lose but it is the players who are suffering,” one of the officials of VHA affiliated units said on condition of anonymity.
Hockey Maharashtra had already announced that they will open their doors for Vidarbha players.
“We will definitely allow players from Vidarbha to attend selection trials. There is infighting in VHA and players are suffering. We will not let them lose their chance to play nationals, if selected,” Hockey Maharashtra secretary Manoj Bhore had told ‘The Hitavada’ after VHA was 
suspended.