Now, age test on Chandigarh players

MUMBAI: In yet another case of suspected overage players, seven boys from the Chandigarh team were flagged by their Delhi opponents on Thursday at the ongoing Sub-Junior Hockey Nationals at the Mahindra Stadium, Churchgate.
On Monday, Haryana were ejected from the tournament after 10 of their 16 players were found to be overage.
The two teams clashed in their second league encounter of Pool E, with Chandigarh prevailing 3-1.But soon after, Delhi lodged an official protest regarding the age of seven Chandigarh players. As a result, the suspected players, who are all part of the starting eleven, were sent over to a local clinic to undergo the age-check routine.
Chandigarh's coach MS Gill claimed innocence regarding the allegations. "Such a situation hasn't arisen in my career. My boys are all within the age limit and I have birth certificates to prove the same. The teams are suffering as the focus is lost and in my opinion, all players should undergo a medical before the start of the tournament to avoid such situations," he opined.
With tournament organizers Mumbai Hockey Association having to foot a bill of Rs 1250 per player, the task of carrying out an age-determining test before the tournament would add a sizeable amount to the budget. "We've carried out tests on 23 players. Though the costs will be reimbursed by the Indian Hockey Federation, it's an added burden for now.
A medical examination before the tournament would be difficult considering that there are very few centers where it can be done and the time that would have to be dedicated to it, even before the tournament begins," a MHA official said.