Hockey consultant Charlesworth quits in disgust

New Delhi: Australian Ric Charlesworth resigned as India's hockey consultant on Thursday plunging the national sport into another crisis.

Charlesworth, who was entrusted with the responsibility of bringing back Indian hockey's past glory, resigned before the start of Junior Asia Cup in Hyderabad on Friday. "He has resigned from his post," said a top Sports Authority of India (SAI) official confirmed.

"However, his resignation has been kept on hold. A decision would be taken only after meeting the International Hockey Federation (FIH) officials as they have deputed him as the technical director to assist Indian Hockey administrators," said the official.

K P S Gill, the chief of the now dissolved Indian Hockey Federation (IHF), had a bitter relationship with Charlesworth and had reluctantly hired him after pressure from the Union Sports Ministry.

An ad-hoc committee appointed to manage Indian hockey after the IHF was scrapped wanted Charlesworth for the game but he was reportedly frustrated with the endless controversies in the game.

Charlesworth, who was supposed to attend the Junior Asia Cup in Hyderabad, left for Melbourne on Wednesday night.

Aslam Sher Khan, a former Olympian and ad-hoc committee chairperson, said that Charlesworth has said he would consider working for Indian hockey only if his role is defined clearly.

"We wanted to take his services but he said he will work with us only after getting a clear picture about his contract and role. We had three meetings with him but we cannot assure him anything because his contract is not with us," Khan told PTI from Hyderabad.

Khan said that the ad-hoc committee has no power to decide on Charlesworth's role as the Australian's contract is with SAI, the dissolved Indian Hockey Federation and the Indian Women's Hockey Federation.

According to Sher Khan, Charlesworth was reluctant to work with Indian hockey because he had had a "horrible" experience with the IHF in the last six months. “The issues regarding his dues and other contractual matters are still lingering," he said.