The
sports
event
at
Chandigarh
on
Saturday,
touted
as
the
ultimate
teaser
before
the
world
Cup
matches,
ended
up
being
a
damp
squib
when
representatives
of
our
film
industry,
who
were
supposed
to
attend,
were
asked
to
stay
away
by
the
organizers.
Dharmendra,
Sunny
Deol
and
Bobby
Deol,
who
were
shooting
in
nearby
Patiala
and
were
expected
to
attend,
cancelled
at
the
last
minute.
Protests
Suniel
Shetty,
“It
was
not
Dharamji"s
fault
at
all.
He
was
all
set
to
travel
from
Patiala
to
Chandigarh
when
the
organizers
informed
him
not
to
come
because
of
the
chaos
that
happened
over
the
money
the
hockey
players
demanded.
I
was
also
told
not
to
come.
But
I
didn"t
listen.
And
I"m
glad
I
went.
There
were
30,000
expectant
people
in
the
stadium
at
Chandigarh."
Suniel
Shetty,
who
champions
the
cause
of
our
national
sport
hockey,
wants
Rahul
Gandhi
to
step
into
the
arena
and
save
the
sport.
“Only
Rahul
Gandhi
with
his
initiative
and
youth
power
can
rescue
hockey
from
the
doldrums.
Otherwise
the
game
is
doomed."
Sunil
intends
to
put
forward
an
appeal
to
Rahul
Gandhi
on
behalf
of
the
hockey
federation
urging
the
young
Congress
leader
to
bring
an
impetus
and
sense
of
direction
to
the
game.
The
fiasco
on
Saturday
at
the
sports
event
hosted
in
Chandigarh
by
the
AMR
Sports
Foundation
where
the
National
hockey
players
apparently
asked
for
Rs.5
crores
at
the
eleventh
hour
to
play
at
the
event,
has
not
left
Sunil
disillusioned
or
discouraged
Says
Sunil,
“See,
what
happened
in
Chandigarh
was
really
sad.
I
don"t
know
what
happened
between
the
event
organizers
and
our
boys
from
the
National
hockey
team.
If
they
really
asked
for
the
money
then
they
shouldn"t
have.
But
think
of
it
from
their
point
if
view.
Hockey
players
in
our
country
are
still
so
underpaid.
They"re
under
so
much
pressure
from
their
family
to
give
up
hockey
and
do
something
more
paying.
How
long
can
our
players
withstand
the
financial
pressure?"
Sunil
feels
every
sport
in
this
country
barring
cricket
is
in
a
shoddy
condition.
“Look
at
the
way
our
world-class
sport-persons
like
Abhinav
Bhindra
are
treated!
It"s
a
shame.
We
really
need
to
respect
sports
and
sportsmen
other
than
cricket.
Otherwise
with
the
Al
Qaida
telling
the
international
sports
community
to
stay
away,
kya
fayda?
Hockey
humne
haan
ki
ya
na
ki?
We
keep
forgetting
we
have
a
hockey
World
Cup
coming
up.
And
we
cannot
allow
our
hockey
players
to
be
demoralized
in
this
way.
Like
I
said
we
need
Rahul
Gandhi
to
step
in."
Looking
at
the
brighter
side
Sunil
is
pleased
that
the
hockey
team
from
the
Indian
film
and
television
industry
played
against
a
local
Chandigarh
hockey
team
on
Saturday.
Says
Sunil,
“It
was
a
goodwill
match.
But
we
need
to
take
hockey
much
beyond
goodwill
now.
The
hockey
federation
needs
a
capable
President…and
hockey
needs
Rahul
Gandhi."