India don't deserve to compete in Olympics: Dhanraj

Chennai, Feb 2: Fuming over India's stunning loss to China in the Doha Asian Games, hockey icon Dhanraj Pillay today averred that India did not deserve to compete in Olympics.

Talking to reporters after felicitating meritorious sportspersons of Velammal Matriculation Higher Secondary School for winning laurels in various state level and national level meets, he said ''if we cannot beat China, then we do not have the right to compete in Olympics''.

''Olympics is a great event and we should not waste our country's money on it,'' he added.

''India sould at least be among the top six in Olympics. But that was not the case,'' he said and blamed the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) for the present decline of hockey.

About the bizarre loss to China in the Doha Asian Games that cost them a semi final berth, Dhanraj, unable to hide his disappointment, said ''I think in my memory and during my 16-year-old career we have not lost to China''.

For the first time in the history of Indian hockey, India had finished fifth in the Asian Games.

Considering the declining trend of Indian Hockey, Dhanraj expressed doubts about India qualifying for the Olympics.

''If this is the kind of attitude IHF has that Dhanraj should not play in PHL, I doubt whether India will qualify for the Olympics'', he observed.

A shock 2-3 defeat to China in the preliminary League, followed by a 0-1 loss to Korea in a must-win match put paid to the India's hopes of making it to the semi-finals in the Doha Asian Games. The victories against lower-rated teams, including Malaysia in the 4-5 classification match, were no solace to India who had authored their worst-ever Asian Games performance that followed the 11th place finish at the World Cup in September last year.

Following their absymal show in Doha, India had to go through the qualifying phase to make it to the Olympics.

Alleging that IHF Secretary K Jothikumaran was the one who had spoilt his career, Dhanraj said ''but for him (Jothi) I would have played for another two to three years.'' ''You would have seen it in Athens. I just played for one minute and 48 seconds in the last game due to internal politics.

The IHF had not recognised my services'', he said in a tone of exasperation.

Coming down heavily on the IHF, Dhanraj said ''the IHF should not think they are bigger than the players. Only because of the players the IHF is functioning...not the other way round''.

''In the 1998 Asiad at Bangkok India won the gold under my captaincy because of the teamwork and the players. It's not because of the IHF. The 2003 Asia Cup success was also due to the players and not due to the IHF'', he added.

Stating that Indian hockey was in the drains, he said it would take at least two to three years to resurrect the sport in the country. ''As long as Mr K P S Gill (IHF President) and Mr Jothikumaran are there, Indian hockey will not come up,'' he charged.

UNI