IOA suspends KPS Gill as IHF chief

Close on the heels of a bribery scandal involving Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) official, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on Monday suspended IHF chief KPS Gill and constituted an ad-hoc panel headed by Aslam Sher Khan for future team selection.

New Delhi, Apr 28 : Close on the heels of a bribery scandal involving Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) official, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on Monday suspended IHF chief KPS Gill and constituted an ad-hoc panel headed by Aslam Sher Khan for future team selection.

The panel that will also include Dhanraj Pillay, Ashok Kumar and Ajit Pal would take administrative decisions till a final verdict is out.

Earlier in the day, Gill had said that he had stood by his juniors throughout his career and he had nothing to do with IHF secretary K Jothikumar alleged action to accept a bribe to induct a player in the team.

O Sunday, expressing dismay at the state of Indian hockey, FIH chief Els van Breda Vriesman said the world body can't work with a federation whose top official was under investigation following a TV sting operation.

"It (the sting operation) is never heard of in the world of field hockey. I wish the Indian hockey gets positive publicity and not this kind. We are in touch with both International Olympic committee and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) how to proceed in such situation," she had said.

"Now the IOA has to manage Indian Hockey Confederation because I don`t think we can work with a half-suspended Secretary General (K Jothikumaran) and a president probably linked because he protects his secretary in this case," she added.

ANI