Now, junior women suffer apathy

New Delhi: In January, they were left to fend for themselves on the streets of Sydney. A week back, the Indian women's hockey development (junior) team was forced to run from pillar to post, either trying to get transit visas or avoid long hours at the airports during their tour of New Zealand. It was a case of absolute apathy that pushed the team to the brink of disaster.
This happened just a few days after the senior women's team's departure for the Champions Challenge II in Kazan (Russia) was delayed by a day due to transit visa problem. Clearly, there's no end to Hockey India's discomfiture as they have been hit by one organisational lapse after another.
The problems for the junior team started at the time of departure from New Delhi on June 16 as the team doctor and videographer were denied government clearance. However, for coach Sandeep Somesh and trainer R Gandhi, this was a minor niggle as they were hit by one tidal wave after another en route to New Zealand.
According to Hockey India sources, the trouble began in Bangkok where the team was denied permission to board the flight to Christchurch. The reason: the flight was routed through Sydney and the team did not have transit visas to Australia.
03/07/09 Times of India

To Read the News in full at Source, Click the Headline

Categories: Airports Jul 2009, Foreign Jul 2009