Cricket swallowing other games in India

I am ashamed of all those who treat non-cricket sports like peanuts. Very touchy article on ibnlive.com

Do read even if you are an ardent fan of cricket and cricket only. It will open your eyes.

source: http://www.ibnlive.com

Bangalore: Hockey always seems to be relegated to second best in the tussle for headline space with cricket. But on Indian cricket's big day it was hockey which scored.

Upset with the lack of recognition for his Asia Cup winning team, Indian coach Joaquim Carvalho hit out at what he called 'step-motherly treatment'.

A four-year wait came to an end for Indian hockey earlier this month in Chennai. Reigning Asian Games champions South Korea were thashed 7-2 as India won the Asia Cup; their first win since the Afro-Asian Games in 2003.

But there was no Chak de effect here. The players weren't felicitated as champions, like their counterparts in cricket were.

"Why was the same recognition not given to the hockey players when they won the Asia Cup? Where were the same state governments? The monetary benefit is not the issue, the issue is about the recognition," says India's head coach.

That's not all. The coach said that four of the Karnataka players in the team would go on a hunger strike outside the Karnataka CM's residence to protest the step motherly treatment.

"In future in the World Cup, if the Indian hockey team performs very well, then at that time I will consider their demands," says Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy.

Eight Olympic golds, a World Cup win in 1975; Indian hockey has a proud and rich heritage. But when it comes to endorsements or prize money then Indian hockey has always lagged behind cricket, and by a fair margin.

The BCCI announced a reward of $2 million for the Twenty20 win. The Indian Hockey Federation announced Rs 1,000 per goal at the Asia Cup. Also, Rs 2,000 would be deducted if they conceded a goal.

"We should look at the quality of goals given away and then decide on the matter. I think the goals that were given away were very hard goals, so there will be no deductions, and Rs 50,000 even today is a good amount of money," says Indian Hockey Federation President KPS Gill says.

Coach Joaquim Carvalho's intentions are not in doubt. He is not anti-cricket but has raised an issue that definitely needs to be addressed.

This isn't only about hockey. It's about Indian sports and cricket.

(With inputs from Digvijay Singh Deo in New Delhi) CNN IBN