CAG hockey team to represent Odisha
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Olympic Association (OAA) has been finalised a 18-member Odisha hockey team which left from here on Wednesday to participate in the National Games to be held at Kerala from January 31 to February 14. The State team comprises of nine players of Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India, five Odisha players, three services players and one from Odisha AG team. Odisha players are Alok Barla, Arbin Barla, Kunjan Topno, Nilam Sanjib Xess, Prakash Barla, services players Rajib Kandulna, Mathias Minz, Dipak Kishore Ekka and Dinesh Mann of AG Odisha player. Sources alleged that, “as per the instruction of the Supreme Court the Comptroller and Auditor General of Odisha would audit the accounts of the OAA.
The association is planning to satisfy the AG officials for that they have incorporated 10 number of CAG hockey players in the State team for the National Games.” If the State Government and Hockey Association are having such attitude then it is very difficult for us to prove our ability in the national platform. Our State is having lot of hockey talents and Government is spending huge amount of funds for nurturing us in the sports hostel. But when the real time has come to use our skill and talents they are inviting out of State players, said Sunil Ekka and Prasant Tirkey.
The State Government is spending crores of rupees on hockey and in its infrastructure. Not only that in our State we are having hockey players hostel and excellence center. Despite all this if we could not able to find a team of our players then its unfortunate, said Hockey Gangapur Secretary Debasis Gouda. Men team: Alok Barla, Arbin Barla, Kunjan Topno, Nilam Sanjib Xess, Prakash Barla, Rajib Kandulna, Mathias Minz, Dipak Kishore Ekka, Azam Baig, Dipanshu Bhargav, Dinesh Mann, Gurupratap Singh, Mahendra Kumawat, Md Naeem, Mrinal Choubey, Navneet Swarnkar, SS Bundela, Usaf Ur Rehman, Kalucharan Choudhury (coach), Pranab Kishore Pattnaik (manager).
Ashok elected as vice-president of GFI
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Gymnastics Association secretary Ashok Sahoo elected as the vice- president of Gymnastic Federation of India (GFI). The election for the office bearer of Gymnastic Federation of India was held at Chandigarh on Wednesday. Odisha Olympic Association (OOA) and Odisha Cricket Association secretary Asirbad Behera and OAA President Samir Dey has congratulated Ashok Sahoo for his achievement.