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It’s not a happy situation to be in if you are in the shoes of Gurbaj Singh. Banned for nine months by Hockey India’s disciplinary committee for allegedly disrespecting former national team assistant coach Jude Felix and then subsequently having his appeal rejected, the Indian midfielder has been left with no option but to move to court against the ban he terms as ‘unfair’. The 26-year-old Punjab Police DSP, who has filed a civil writ petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, spoke about his frustration over the ban and the road ahead in an exclusive interview.
Excerpts:
Q: You have filed a civil writ petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court against your nine-month ban by Hockey India’s disciplinary committee. What’s the update on that?
A: I am consulting some lawyers and in the coming days you will get a concrete picture of how I intend to go through the legal route.
Q: Don’t you think you have put your playing career on the line by your announcement to knock the doors of the court?
A: Well, I did not have any option left as Hockey India’s disciplinary committee banned me without giving me a proper hearing. I was given the option to appeal against the ban, but I think everything appears pre-planned as I was clear that there are people who want to finish my hockey playing career.
Q You have been banned for only nine months and there is still an outside chance of you making it to the 2016 Rio Olympics.
A: I’m really not optimistic since I have been banned for nine months. By the time the ban is over there will be only two months left for the Olympics and the team is announced one month before and you tell me on what basis they will pick me? I have reasons to believe my Olympic dreams are over.
Q Do you feel banning you from playing domestic hockey convinced you that a conspiracy is being hatched to finish your playing career?
A: Absolutely! If people believe I will be needed for the Olympics, they would have allowed me to play in domestic hockey. By banning me from domestic hockey a message has been sent out loud and clear that I am not wanted in the side.
Q: You missed the Hockey India League(HIL) auction owing to your ban. Must be hugely frustrating.
A: I cannot play for India for nine months, can’t play domestic hockey and cannot play in the HIL. It’s a policy to finish my career.
Q: Your teammates and coach never had attitude issues with you but because of the report of Jude Felix you are paying a big price.
A: Ask my team-mates and even the coach does not have issues with me. As for Jude Felix, I have nothing against him since I don’t even know in what way he felt that I disrespected him. I have all the respect and always loved playing for the country and never indulged in any kind of groupism as it is being alleged by Felix. I’m a simple guy, who loves to play hockey.
Q: Indian hockey has a history of talented players’ careers being nipped in the bud as per the whims and fancies of the selectors/coaches or the federation. Your thoughts.
A: My fight against justice is to let people know that it’s not about me but to ensure such incidents do not happen in future. No player should be banned according to the whims of fancies of people – it has happened for a long time in Indian hockey and I thought it was time to ensure players stand up for any raw deal meted out to them, so what if it means knocking the doors of the court.
