Reprieve for Gurbaj Singh as Punjab and Haryana High Court deem ban "illegal"
Indian national hockey team midfielder Gurbaj Singh has won a major victory because the Punjab and Haryana High Court have issued a stay order on the ban, with immediate effect. Gurbaj faced a nine-month ban from Hockey India after they claimed he “created groupism and disharmony within the team”. The charge was squashed as “illegal” by the high court.
According to the Indian Express, Hockey India has been given one week to call a meeting of it’s Athletes Grievances Redressal Committee and deliberate and resolve the issue.
Punjab and Haryana High Court judge Rakesh Kumar Jain said in his order that “The facts and circumstances discussed here-in-above lead to an irresistible conclusion that that the impugned orders dated 10.08.2015 and 18.09.2015, imposing ban of 9 months upon the petitioner (Gurbaj Singh), are patently illegal, arbitrary and unreasonable and hence, both the impugned orders are hereby set aside.”
The Court further said, “However, the matter is remanded back to Hockey India /Hockey India Athletes Grievances Redressal Committee, who would convene a meeting within a period of one week from the date of receipt of certified copy of this order and shall take a decision in that meeting for imposition of punishment/penalty upon the petitioner, if needed be, as per Levels 1, 2 and 3 of the Code Conduct Guideline Sanctions provided in Appendix-12 of the Code of Conduct (Players & Players), which shall also commensurate with the allegations/charges levelled against the petitioner in Points 12(b), (c) and (d), as mentioned in the minutes of the 2nd meeting of the Hockey India/Hockey India Athletes Redressal Grievances Committee held on 10.8.2015.”
In conclusion, the Court said “The decision taken by the Committee shall be intimated to the petitioner in two days thereafter.” Gurbaj, one of the most experienced players in the outfit, was banned for nine months after the Hockey World League Semifinals in Antwerp, Belgium, earlier this year. Hockey India was prompted to do so after a report submitted to them by erstwhile national coach Jude Felix, alleging that Gurbaj “created groupism in the team” and “misbehaved with the coaching staff”.
The right-flanker’s explanation of his actions to a committee comprising Hockey India head Narinder Batra, CEO Elena Norman, Harbinder Singh and RP Singh was not sufficient to persuade them to overturn their decision.
If Gurbaj, who has 200 international caps, is allowed to play again, he may be part of the team which will compete in November’s Hockey World League Finals in Raipur.