Cut prejudice, restore our pride: Mumbai hockey fraternity

MUMBAI: Given Mumbai's glorious hockey legacy, no one would have ever imagined that Mumbai's players would one day have to don Maharashtra colours in order to participate in the national hockey championships.
However, that looks set to be the outcome of the decision by Hockey India (HI), the sport's governing body in the country, to strip Mumbai Hockey Association Limited (MHAL) of its associate membership and grant recognition to Hockey Maharashtra as the state's sole representative body for the sport.
Considering Mumbai's famed reputation for regularly churning out quality players who have gone on to represent the country with pride and success at the Olympics, HI's move has got the city's former stars asking in unison: Should an iconic hockey hub like Mumbai now be represented under the Hockey Maharashtra flag? "Given the rich history that we boast off, I not only find it strange but hard to believe that our boys will have to participate in the nationals under the Hockey Maharashtra flag," said Olympian Joaquim Carvalho. "Everyone who is associated with hockey knows the kind of talent Mumbai possesses."
Former India captain and Khel Ratna recipient Dhanraj Pillay has represented both Hockey Maharashtra and the Mumbai Hockey Association but he clearly has a special place in his heart for Mumbai. "I have represented both the associations and having played for Mumbai in my formative years, I can safely say that it has been one of the greatest talent hubs. Probably only the state of Punjab has had a greater influence on the national circuit. Mumbai has given India some of the world's best. My appeal to all concerned is to rethink this decision. It is my humble and earnest request," said Pillay.
Meanwhile, captain of the Moscow Olympic gold-winning team in 1980, MM Somaya felt if the Board of Control for Cricket (BCCI) in India could judiciously use a Supreme Court judgment, then why couldn't the same approach be implemented in hockey. "The BCCI has been prudent in the application of the Lodha Committee recommendations. A Supreme Court judgement dated 9th August 2018 has empowered them to provide Full Membership status to Associations like Mumbai and Vidarbha in Maharashtra. I think we can pick a leaf out of BCCI's book," said Somaya, who has drafted a letter that's been signed by a whole lot of internationals and Olympians, and addressed to the Sports Minister, Indian Olympic Association and Hockey India, pleading for Mumbai hockey to be saved. He added that he and the like-minded people who are on board, are "confident" of a favourable response.
Reacting to the views expressed by Mumbai's hockey stalwarts, MHAL secretary Ram Singh Rathor said that he respects the sentiments of the players but insisted that he had no choice but seek an affiliation with Hockey Maharashtra.