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[Blwe_torch]

Zafar Iqbal finds hockey player's allegations weak
IANS, Jul 21, 2010, 09.45pm IST

NEW DELHI: Former India captain Zafar Iqbal, a member of the Hockey India (HI) committee looking into charges of sexual harassment against national women's coach Maharaj Kishan Kaushik, Wednesday found the allegations against the Olympian weak and conspiratorial, looking at their timing.

Zafar said Ranjitha Devi, who Tuesday charged Kaushik of harassment with 30 of her fellow-players signing the letter, could not come out with cogent replies when questioned. Madhu Yadav, the manager of the team, was also present.

"The case is not strong. The girl's complaints were dicey. We have heard both the parties and we will decide on the outcome once we have the replies from both the parties. Kaushik has been the national coach of India since 1991 and many of us have played with him," Zafar told reporters after a meeting of the committee.

"I cannot rule out conspiracy as it is clashing with the (HI) elections. The girl says this is happening from the past six months, if so why is she coming out now? Also, when I asked whether she faced any physical harassment like touching, she denied it," Zafar said.

The five-member committee of Rajiv Mehta (chairman), Olympians Ajit Pal Singh and Zafar and Sudharsan Pathak, met both Kaushik and Ranjitha Wednesday afternoon to record their versions.

Kaushik and Ranjitha have been asked to make written submissions Thursday. These, along with the committee's findings, will be sent to the Sports Authority of India (SAI) for action Friday.

Pathak also concurred with Zafar.

"Kaushik has been deputed for his work by the government of India. He was doing well. There are no allegations against him in the last 10 years. The committee will look into the matter. We also need to verify the girl's claims as this has happened for the first time in Indian hockey," said Pathak.

HI secretary general Narinder Batra also said that the other girls in the team have denied facing a similiar incident.

"I spoke to the captain and she said the rest of the girls have not faced any such incident. But we want a free and a fair trial and I do not want to mix the elections with the girl's complaint," he said.

"We heard both the parties who have been asked to submit their replies by tomorrow (Thursday). HI will then send their recommendations to the Sports Authority of India Friday as both Kaushik and the videographer are the employees of SAI. Kaushik has resigned willingly and since it was addressed to the president, I forwarded it to the president," he said.

HI also sacked the videographer, M. Basavaraja, after photographs of him with a prostitute during an overseas tour, surfaced in the media.

The team left for Asian Champions Trophy in Busan, South Korea, Wednesday evening and Batra said he has spoken to the girls.

"I have spoken to the team and have tried to boost them before the Championships. They have promised to do well," he said.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/more-sports/hockey/Zafar-Iqbal-finds-hockey-players-allegations-weak/articleshow/6197773.cms

[Blwe_torch]

Mir Ranjan Negi keen to coach women's hockey team
PTI, Jul 22, 2010, 06.44pm IST

NEW DELHI: Former India goalkeeper Mir Ranjan Negi has thrown his hat in the ring to become the new coach of the national women's hockey team after incumbent MK Kaushik resigned ON Wednesday in the wake of a sex scandal.

According to Hockey India (HI) secretary general Narinder Batra, Negi has approached the federation expressing his willingness to take up the job.

However, Batra said the federation has not yet made up its mind on Negi as ultimately it is the Sports Authority of India's prerogative to name the national team coaches.

"He (Negi) approached us showing his interest in the job. We asked him to send his bio-data which will will be put forward before a panel, which is the normal procedure," Batra said.

"We don't have the right to appoint a coach. We only can make recommendations to SAI who is authorised to appoint the coach of any national team," he said.

Contrary to some reports, the HI secretary made it clear that the federation was not the first party to show its interest in Negi for the job.

"We (HI) did not contact him. It is Negi who approached us. Nothing is finalised as yet, we just asked him to send his bio-data," Batra said.

When contacted Negi confirmed that he had sent his bio-data to HI as he was keen to take up the assignment.

"Yes, I have. When I heard that they (HI) were looking for a coach, I contacted them and they asked me to send my consent and I have already sent my application to HI," he said.

"In such circumstances every coach will be apprehensive about this job. It's a challenging one but I have worked with the women's team before," Negi added.

Negi, who was later involved in the making of 2007 hit film Chak De India, came in the running for the women's team coach's job following the resignation of Kaushik yesterday, against whom a fringe player Ranjita Devi has complained of sexual harassment.

The former hockey custodian, however, expressed shock over the allegations levelled against Kaushik, with whom he not only played but also assisted the women's team.

"It's a very very sensitive matter. It's shocking, I don't have words to express," Negi said.

"So far no player has come forward and spoken. I played with him (Kaushik) for a very long time and was also a member of the coaching staff along with him but I never saw this sort of incidents," he said.

Negi's international career was a roller-coaster ride, which came to an abrupt end after he was accused of accepting bribe to concede goals during India's 1-7 loss to Pakistan in the 1982 Asian Games.

He, however, returned as a temporary goalkeeping coach for the 1998 Asian Games in which India won the gold.

Negi also has a good track record with the women's team as he was the goalkeeping coach of the side that won the gold at the 2002 Commonwealth Games and later was the assistant coach of the 2004 Asia Cup-winning side.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/more-sports/hockey/Mir-Ranjan-Negi-keen-to-coach-womens-hockey-team/articleshow/6201622.cms

[WicketView]

Zafar Iqbal finds hockey player's allegations weak
IANS, Jul 21, 2010, 09.45pm IST

NEW DELHI: Former India captain Zafar Iqbal, a member of the Hockey India (HI) committee looking into charges of sexual harassment against national women's coach Maharaj Kishan Kaushik, Wednesday found the allegations against the Olympian weak and conspiratorial, looking at their timing.

Zafar said Ranjitha Devi, who Tuesday charged Kaushik of harassment with 30 of her fellow-players signing the letter, could not come out with cogent replies when questioned. Madhu Yadav, the manager of the team, was also present.

"The case is not strong. The girl's complaints were dicey. We have heard both the parties and we will decide on the outcome once we have the replies from both the parties. Kaushik has been the national coach of India since 1991 and many of us have played with him," Zafar told reporters after a meeting of the committee.

"I cannot rule out conspiracy as it is clashing with the (HI) elections. The girl says this is happening from the past six months, if so why is she coming out now? Also, when I asked whether she faced any physical harassment like touching, she denied it," Zafar said.

The five-member committee of Rajiv Mehta (chairman), Olympians Ajit Pal Singh and Zafar and Sudharsan Pathak, met both Kaushik and Ranjitha Wednesday afternoon to record their versions.

Kaushik and Ranjitha have been asked to make written submissions Thursday. These, along with the committee's findings, will be sent to the Sports Authority of India (SAI) for action Friday.

Pathak also concurred with Zafar.

"Kaushik has been deputed for his work by the government of India. He was doing well. There are no allegations against him in the last 10 years. The committee will look into the matter. We also need to verify the girl's claims as this has happened for the first time in Indian hockey," said Pathak.

HI secretary general Narinder Batra also said that the other girls in the team have denied facing a similiar incident.

"I spoke to the captain and she said the rest of the girls have not faced any such incident. But we want a free and a fair trial and I do not want to mix the elections with the girl's complaint," he said.

"We heard both the parties who have been asked to submit their replies by tomorrow (Thursday). HI will then send their recommendations to the Sports Authority of India Friday as both Kaushik and the videographer are the employees of SAI. Kaushik has resigned willingly and since it was addressed to the president, I forwarded it to the president," he said.

HI also sacked the videographer, M. Basavaraja, after photographs of him with a prostitute during an overseas tour, surfaced in the media.

The team left for Asian Champions Trophy in Busan, South Korea, Wednesday evening and Batra said he has spoken to the girls.

"I have spoken to the team and have tried to boost them before the Championships. They have promised to do well," he said.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/more-sports/hockey/Zafar-Iqbal-finds-hockey-players-allegations-weak/articleshow/6197773.cms

Some of these comments are shocking. I don't know if they are being taken out of context or why the journalist did not grill him on this comments. It is a real shame if this is how he really  speaks, which would imply that inspite of not trying to hide his views, he was selected as a committee member.