PANAJI
Goans Hockey have withdrawn their women’s senior national championship for women which began yesterday at Panchkula, Haryana.
Goa were placed in B Division under the new format launched by Hockey India this year and were placed alongside Delhi Hockey, Chhattisgarh Hockey, Hockey Chandigarh and Hockey Bihar in pool B.
Goans Hockey had called for selection of players on January 25 with Conan Fernandes, Manoj Pednekar, Riyaz Kambali, Aviraj Madgaonkar, Ayyaz khan, Karl Gomes and Warren Dias were the coaches and officials who were responsible for the selections of the Men’s, women’s and Junior widen team.
Sources informed that some 20 women players turned for training and selection trails and trained for two weeks under the Riyaz Kambali, Aviraj Madgaonkar, Ayyaz Khan under the suprevision of Warren Dias.
But two weeks after the training sessions the players were informed that the team will not be sent.
“Sad and a bad decision,” said Alex Remedios, a former Sports Authority of India and Sports Authority of Goa coach based in Mapusa.
“Hockey India changed the format this year so as the weak teams will play among one another. There will promotion and relegation accordingly. So, Goa could have gauge it's standard and plan and work to improve for the future,” he said.
“Wonder who were the Technical Advisors that took the decision (not to send the team) and advised the Goans Hockey officials,” he added.
Another hockey lover have argued if Goa University saw four colleges taking part and some 60 plus players in action than Goans Hockey could not 15 players to be part of the Goans Hockey team for the women senior championship.
Besides the Goa University and college girls, there would have been more players in some higher secondaries and some who have finished their college education, added Darryl Dias a hockey lover.
In Pool A, Telangana Hockey, Hockey Uttarakhand, Assam Hockey, Hockey Himachal and Hockey Rajasthan will be seen in action.
According to the format, the first placed teams in both the pools will qualify for A division while the last two ranked teams will be relegated to Division ‘C.
Another team which has withdrawn from the competition is Tripura from C Division.
The teams in Division C include Kerala Hockey, Hockey Andhra Pradesh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli & Daman & Diu Hockey, Le Puducherry Hockey, Hockey Gujarat, Hockey Arunachal, Tripura Hockey and Hockey Jammu & Kashmir.
The two top teams from the two groups of Division C will qualify for Division B.
Under the new format of Hockey India, have placed the teams in three divisions with A Division consisting of 12 teams divided into four groups with the teams qualifying for the Quarter-final, Semi-final and Final while the 11th & 12th ranked teams will be relegated to Division ‘B’.
Division A consists of Hockey Haryana, Hockey Maharashtra, Hockey Jharkhand, Hockey Madhya Pradesh, Hockey Association Of Odisha, Manipur Hockey, Hockey Mizoram, Hockey Bengal, Hockey Karnataka, Hockey Punjab, Hockey Unit Of Tamil Nadu And Uttar Pradesh Hockey
