Hockey India at last pays players Rs 1 crore

PUNE - The national hockey players and the support staff were Monday given a cheque of Rs.1 crore as match fees and incentive bonus for their performance last year.

The players, who have been in training here for the World Cup, had last week boycotted the national camp, demanding all outstanding payments. They wanted Rs 4.5 lakh each for their last year’s performance.

National team sponsors Sahara had agreed to release Rs. 1 crore immediately for distribution among the players.

Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Suresh Kalmadi, who had to intervene to bring the agitating players back to the camp after six days, handed over the cheques to the players Monday.

Hockey India (HI) said it was an incentive for the players and support staff, including coaches.

Kalmadi said he was happy that HI had given the cheques to the players to honour his commitment.

“I hope this incentive would propel the boys to perform better in the Delhi World Cup,” Kalmadi said in a statement.

Twelve players, who are currently training at Lucknow for the South Asian Games at Dhaka and were part of the national team last year, will receive their cheques in Delhi next week.

The payment was for their performance last year in the Punjab Gold Cup at Chandigarh, Azlan Shah Cup at Ipoh, the Test series in Argentina, New Zealand and Canada, besides the Champions Challenge Tournament at Salta, Argentina, where they won a bronze.

Members of the victorious U-21 Asia Cup team, played at Hyderabad in 2008, were also rewarded.