Punjab offers to sponsor hockey team

The Punjab government Tuesday offered to sponsor the Indian hockey team for the World Cup tournament in New Delhi next month.
Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, who is also president of Hockey Punjab, made the offer if the sports ministry gave the responsibility to Punjab.

Commenting on demands for more money by Indian hockey players, Badal said: “It is unfortunate that a game that brought India its first medal in the Olympic Games has to suffer this treatment. Punjab has been a nursery of hockey and would like India to regain its lost glory in this game.”

He said that if Punjab was given the responsibility to sponsor the hockey team, the state would organise conditioning camps in the state.

Talks between Indian hockey players, who have been on strike at the national conditioning camp in Pune, and Hockey India officials failed once again Tuesday.

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