It is heartening to note that the Supreme Court is concerned about the state of hockey in India. These strong words that emerged through news reports yesterday will please supporters of the national game: “Sports are run by private individual persons. Private individuals are controlling the games in India. Can the game be held hostage by private interest? This is why hockey has come down and the team is struggling to qualify for the Olympics, where we used to win gold medals.”

That India’s hockey players have not been able to lay their hands on a gold medal at the Olympic Games since Moscow in 1980 is a slap in the face of India’s historic domination.