Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], July 11 (ANI): Former India captain and Hockey player Asunta Lakra alleged on Saturday that Hockey India secretary general Bhola Nath Singh threatened her after she raised concerns over alleged misconduct by Jharkhand coach Sudhir Gola towards female players in the team.
Lakra, who was part of the Indian team during the 2006 and 2010 Commonwealth Games and Asia Cup twice, alleged that she was threatened by the Hockey India secretary general after raising concerns over alleged misbehaviour at Jharkhand’s Eklavya Centre. She said she spoke up as a hockey leader to protect young players and claimed Singh told her to “stay within her limits.”
“I had raised some issues in the interest of the players of Jharkhand, specifically for the girls of the Eklavya Center. If I, as a leader, do not step forward for my junior players, the upcoming players, then what is the point of being a leader? So, when I saw some wrongdoings, and they were proven as well, if I am being threatened after those things were proven, told to “stay within your limits” and to “talk while staying within your limits”,” she told ANI.
Rrecalling the harrowing experience, she added, “I received this threat from Bhola Nath Singh, who is the General Secretary of Hockey India, on May 9th, around 7:00 or 8:00 PM. At that time, I was sitting with my father, who is ill. Suddenly, the call came. I didn’t even have a chance to record anything. I never even imagined that something like this would be said to me. The way he spoke, I trembled for a while.”
Asunta Lakra questioned why she was allegedly threatened for speaking up on behalf of players, highlighting her years of representing India and work as a national selector. She said she was being targeted despite raising concerns about wrongdoing.
“We spoke for about nine minutes. I have that record as well. So, why such threats? If I raise my voice for a player, will I get threats in return? Do I deserve this? I have won medals for the country. I have played for the country for 14-15 years. I have worked continuously as a selector for 13 years for the country. Just because I am telling the truth about a mistake, I am receiving threats,” she said.
Lakra said she raised complaints from players against Jharkhand Eklavya Centre coach Sudhir Gola with Bhola Nath Singh, hoping the matter would be resolved internally. She alleged that despite his dismissal, Gola later intimidated players by holding a late-night meeting at the hostel and pressuring them to sign documents by threatening legal action.
“Sudhir Gola, who has been our coach at the Jharkhand Eklavya Center. So, I saw the complaints made by the girls against him. Because of that, I raised this issue. And first of all, I placed it before Bhola Nath Sir, saying, “Sir, this is the matter.” I told him verbally, “Sir, please look into it, I don’t want to highlight it.” My point was that whatever mistakes are happening should be corrected. Why hadn’t I given it to the papers until now? I wanted it to be solved somehow. But it didn’t happen,” she said.
She added, “Many allegations have been made; the girls have made many complaints. Right now, they are scared and suppressed too. In between, Sudhir Gola even came at 11:00 PM, lined them up, and held a meeting. This was even after he was dismissed, as you might have seen in the news. Even after that, he came to the hostel at 11:00 PM, lined them up, intimidated them, and tried to make them sign something. Like, he threatened them that if they didn’t sign, he would go to court. Now, children will obviously be scared of the word “court,” right?”
Lakra said one of the players approached her in distress and shared concerns about the misconduct. She added that the players had also submitted written complaints, and called it unfortunate that she faced threats despite raising the issue and her contributions to Indian hockey.
“So, one of them must have felt that someone should be told, that something wrong is happening to them. So, someone or the other would tell, right? She told me while crying–you can understand. A girl is crying, scared, and suppressed–so what does that mean? So, after all this, the children have even given it in writing. After that, if I receive threats, what could be more unfortunate? I have won medals for the country,” she said. (ANI)
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