Fmr Olympian glad over IHF suspension

Bhopal, Apr 29 (UNI) Expressing happiness over the decision to suspend the Indian Hockey Federation, former Olympian Jalaluddin Rizvi today hoped that the condition and direction of the national game would improve.

''The step kindled hope that the IHF will now return to players' hands. A lot of effort will be required to restore hockey to its former glory. K P S Gill's roughly one-and-a-half-decade-old tenure as IHF president reduced the game to a state where the national team could not qualify for the Olympics,'' he told UNI here.

Pointing out that industrialists' cooperation was imperative, Rizvi added that children's attachment for the sport would have to be created.

''Hockey's pride can be restored with the guidance of former players and adoptng a professional attitude,'' local Hockey Academy Coach Ashok Dhyanchand told UNI.

UNI AKS-PKJ-AC RL VC1952