Hockey India chief says Ric Charlesworth needs medical treatment

Ric Charlesworth

Hockey India have reiterated on the comment made by Australian coach Ric Charlesworth, that India getting tournaments despite their bad performance and poor crowd turnout, is a disgrace.

Narinder Batra, secretary general of Hockey India responded with strong words at a press conference, when asked by a Dutch journalist, why India unfairly has been awarded so many tournaments, and why the FIH supported them.

“These are very strong words. Ric Charlesworth should have some education how to talk about a country. We also go to foreign countries. There are no crowd their as well. In fact we had more crowd here. I take strong objection to what he said. I think Ric Charlesworth needs some mental and psychological treatment,” Batra told mediapersons.

“You come to India to fall sick? What do you mean? Who has fallen sick? This is the fourth tournament after 2010. If someone has, why do you blame a country for falling sick? These are very strong words and I take objection to that as you are showing disrespect to my country,” Hockey India secretray general observed.

“There is no free rides that we are getting. India qualified for the 2014 world cup. Anyone who hosts a tournament gets to play. Now its FIH decision to host it here, so where is the question of free rights? Champions Trophy was taken away from India two years back. So please do not used these strong words like free rides,” he added.

After the conclusion of the tournament, Hockey Australia will be discussing with the Hockey India regarding the comments made by secretary general Narinder Batra on head coach Ric Charlesworth.

“We will be discussing the matter with HI at the conclusion of the event about the specific comments we feel were inappropriate regarding our highly respected coach Ric Charlesworth,” HA chief executive Cam Vale said in a statement.

Charlesworth, when asked about the same, said he was unaware whether such comments were made by him.

“I doubt I used the word disgraceful. But it is certainly disappointing to see the crowds here. You have two of the best teams in the world playing the semi-final and you hardly had 400 people turning up. May be Batra needs some patients for his hospital,” said Charlesworth, who was a member of the 1986 World Cup winning Australian squad.

Kelly Fairweather, CEO of FIH has endorsed HI’s views on why India have been allowed to host FIH events on a regular basis.

“The answer is very very clear. This is a part of a long term strategy to revive the game in India as India is very important. That has been the part of FIH strategy for the last 3-4 years. India missed out playing in Olympic Games. Once you miss out playing in Olympic Games, it really puts you back number of years. So we have decided to hold one big event every year till 2018. This is in order to revive the interest of hockey in India. Not just India we hold regular events in Argentina and Belgium which are rapidly coming out as top hockey playing nation.”

“You have used some very strong words like free rides to India. India has got the tournaments because they deserved it as we wanted to revive interest in the game in India,” he added.

The semi-final match between Netherlands and Australia saw only 300-400 people turn up, at the 16,000 seater Major Dhyan Chand National stadium.

Charlesworth has been subject to a troubles with Indian hockey in the past also, when he was named technical advisor of Indian hockey in 2008, but had to cut short his contract only after 10 months, when negotiations with KPS Gill-led Indian Hockey Federation (IHF), broke down.

The 1976 Olympic silver medallist started his coaching stint with Australia in 2009 which won the 2010 World Cup and the 2010 Commonwealth Games gold.