Exclusive Interview: K P S Gill on rot in Indian hockey

SHOOTOUT WITH GILL: Gill says he hasn't take note of Sports Minister MS Gill's demands for his resignation.

        

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K P S Gill, former inspector general of Punjab Police and president of the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF), has ruled Indian hockey with an iron fist for over a decade. Shocking defeats, allegations of bribery against a senior IHF official and a sporting fraternity ganged up against him: most men would admit defeat and walk into the sunset if they faced so many challenges. But K P S Gill is not like most men. CNN-IBN Editor-in-Chief Rajdeep Sardesai talked to him about the state of Indian hockey.

Rajdeep Sardesai: The Sports Minister wants you to resign as IHF president and the IOA (Indian Olympic Association) is having an emergency meeting. Are you at all considering resigning?

K P S Gill: Not at all. Not at all.

Rajdeep Sardesai: You don’t see yourself under any form of pressure after the sting operation showed IHF secretary K Jyothikumaran accepting money, possibly to select a player for the Indian team.

K P S Gill: Not my secretary—the secretary of the Indian Hockey Federation.

Rajdeep Sardesai: Your right hand man.

K P S Gill: No, all members (of IHF) are my right hand man—every single person.

Rajdeep Sardesai: No one believes that Jyothikumaran could be doing what he was doing on TV without in some way your knowledge in a sense. He has been there for 14 years and you have been there for 14 years. If he was using money to select players, then surely you would have known about it.

K P S Gill: There is no question, not a single incident of any player—14 years, I would say even 20 years, 40 years—being selected on the basis of money. Not a single incident in the IHF.

Rajdeep Sardesai: The Indian hockey cap cannot be bought?

K P S Gill: No, for ever since the start of IHF till today not a single player can buy the cap.

Rajdeep Sardesai: What is your response then to (Sports Minister) Manohar Singh Gill, who was ironically your junior in college? What is your response to the Sports Minister when he says to you it is time for you to review your position? What would you like to tell him?

K P S Gill: I wouldn’t like to tell him anything. I have not taken note of that statement. You are bringing it to my notice but I have nothing much to say about it.

Rajdeep Sardesai: You don’t feel any form of pressure as a result?