Women hockey players reject offer of Rs.50,000 each

Published>Thu, Jan 21 10 07:19 PM

New Delhi, Jan 21 (IANS) Taking the cue from the men's team, members of India's women hockey team told Hockey India that its offer of Rs.50,000 each as incentive for their performance last year was not acceptable as it is measly. They said they will accept nothing less than Rs.3 lakh each.

HI acting president Vidya Stokes told IANS Thursday that HI has also requested the sports ministry to reward the girls with Rs.1 lakh each for winning the silver medal in the Asia Cup.

The girls at the national camp in Bhopal, however, were not impressed and rejected both offers outright, saying that it was too little and too late.

'We will not accept Rs.50,000 as the amount is to measly, considering the high standard of our performance last year. We want each one of us to be paid Rs.3 lakh as decided at our team meeting to consider the HI offer. We have not been paid any money last year whereas the players in the men's team got Rs.4.5 lakh each,' captain Surinder Kaur told IANS from Bhopal.

'We will continue to protest peacefully, but we are not going to boycott the national camp like the men did. We are playing for the national team and these things should not distract our preparation,' she said.

As a first step of protest, the girls continued their training session, wearing black arm-bands. Also, the players have decided to raise money on their own as part of their indignation towards HI's stepmotherly treatment towards the girls team.

'We are raising money for the girls who are in need and this will be our way of protest. We have opened a bank account for this because we know that we have to take care of ourselves.'

Senior pro and former captain Mamta Kharab said the girls should also get graded payment if the men get.

'If Hockey India has agreed to pay the men, we should also be paid the same, taking our performance into account. We held our hands back after former president Ashok Kumar Mattoo assured us that we will get our due, but nothing happened. We love our country and the game so much that we won't resort to any strike.'

Stokes said considering the monetary constraints of HI, it was decided to pay 19 girls who turned out for the country last year Rs.50,000 each as a first instalment pending a final decision on the total quantum of money to be paid by the elected HI.

'We have also written a letter to the Sports Ministry to give them cash award of Rs.1 lakh each for their silver-medal finish in the Asia Cup. We are hopeful the ministry will respond positively,' she said.

The women's team last year won the Champions Challenge II in Kazan and came back with silver medal in the Asia Cup in Thailand.

The men's last week went on a lightning strike, demanding immediate clearance of their match fees, sponsorship money and incentive bonuses for their performance last year.

Eventually, Indian Olympic Association president Suresh Kalmadi had to intervene and settle the matter by paying each player Rs.4.5 lakh after team sponsors Sahara released Rs.1. crore. Incidentally, Sahara also sponsors the women's team.

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