26 players declared medically overage

Chandigarh, Aug 20 (UNI) The age old problem of fielding overage players still continues unchecked. And the real culprits go unpunished.

A medical panel appointed by the organising committee of the ongoing sixth SN Vohra Memorial Sub-Junior Hockey Tournament for Under-14 at the Sector 42 Hockey Stadium has so far declared 26 players overage.

The mamimum number of players, who were not eligible on the basis of the age criteria, were from the Chandigarh Administration-run Chandigarh Hockey Academy. However, Chandigarh Joint Director Sports JPS Sidhu denied that eight CHA players were overaged. It may be recalled that in a Junior National Hockey Championship, eight players of the Chandigarh Hockey Academy were declared overage. Six of them were from the Chandigarh Hockey Academy.

Giving names of the players who were medically found overage for the Vohra Memorial Sub-Junior Hockey which began yesterday, organising secretary Anil Vohra said, six players from Him Gold Hockey Academy of Solan had been debarred from participation on the basis of the medical examination. Two overage players belong to Malwa Khalsa School, Ludhiana, three from Modern Sports School, Rohtak, two from Makhan Singh Lubana Academy Baba Bakala, eight from CHA, two from DAVSSS- Sector 8 Chandigarh and three from Mehta Gurkul Academy Doraha.

Anil said that players from four more teams out of 12 would undergo medical tests tomorrow. Those declared medical overage are: Him Gold Hockey Academy, Solan: Kamal Kumar, Divesh Thakur, Ram Kumar, Nimlesh, Sumit and Shibum.

Malwa Khalsa School, Ludhiana: Simran Singh, Harkamalpreet.

Modern Sports School, Rohtak: Sunil, Naresh, Deepinder.

Baba Makhan Singh Lubana Academy, Baba Bakala: Kuldeep Singh, Manjinder Singh.

Chandigarh Hockey Academy: Sukhjeet Singh, Harcharan Singh, Damandeep Singh, Gagandeep Singh (Jr.), Gagandeep Singh, Amrinder Singh, Amritpal Singh, Diljot Singh.

DAV Senior Secondary School Academy, Sector 8: Jatin, Amarjot.

Mehta Gurkul Academy, Doraha: Harvinder Singh, Harman and Sumit.

Meanwhile, Dr JPS Sidhu today categorically denied that the eight players of the Chandigarh Hockey Academy were overage. A panel of doctors appointed had yesterday found them overage.

Consequently, the CHA team was scratched from the tournament by the organising committee.

In a press release Sidhu explained that the CHA trainees who got selected were required to under go a strict medical test conducted by the Board of Doctors constituted by the Director Health Services, Chandigarh Administration. The tests are based on advanced medical research which can establish near exact age of human being.

''Mere physical and dental examination by a doctor, who is not specialized in the discipline cannot be accepted particularly when it comes to the over ruling of the report of Medical Board, which is based on their opinion of advance specialized tests,'' said Sidhu.

Sukhjeet Singh (date of birth 30.10.93), Harcharan Singh (13.03.94), Damandeep Singh (26.02.94), Gagandeep Singh (Jr.) (31.07.94), Gagandeep Singh (02.11.93), Amrinder Singh (27.12.93), Amritpal Singh (23.10.93) and Diljot Singh (19.10.93) were declared overage by the organisers. However, their date of birth mentioned in bracket speaks otherwise.

UNI