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Gill to respond after team returns
By Onkar Singh in Delhi
March 10, 2008 22:16 IST

Indian Hockey Federation president Kanwar Pal Singh Gill, as always, was composed when asked for his reaction to Indian hockey's latest debacle.

In an exclusive conversation with rediff.com, he brushed aside talk about stepping down following the India's failure to qualify for the Beijing Olympics, but admitted it was a setback for the game in the country.

"Like anyone else I am also shocked that our team has failed to qualify for the Olympics," Gill said.

He denied that any IHF office-bearer resigned owning up moral responsibility in the wake of Sunday's 0-2 defeat to Great Britain in the final of the qualifying tournament in Santiago, Chile.

He said he is waiting for the team to return to find out what went wrong in the final.

"Once we have got the inputs we shall find out what went wrong and then hold a press conference in next three or four days to answer questions that have been raised in the media," he said.

Asked whether chief coach Joaquim Carvalho's resignation has been accepted, he shot back, "Don't expect me respond to media reports. It is not proper to respond at this stage."

Onkar Singh in Delhi
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