Sports Authority of India (SAI) today put itself on collision course with Hockey India after it issued a clear instruction to HI's High Performance Director Roelant Oltmans and chief coach Terry Walsh to scrap their contracts with respective HIL franchises.
SAI minced no words in stating that the duo could lose their salaries for the duration of the second edition of Hockey India League (HIL), commencing January 25 in Mohali, if they continued their association with the high-profile FIH-sanctioned event.
SAI said the contracts of both the foreign coaches, who are drawing salaries from it, do not permit them to take coaching assignments with any "commercial league".
"They are employed by SAI and we are paying them their monthly salaries. How could they take up some other assignment with a commercial league when their contracts do not allow them from taking up any other job. It's not professionalism. It's unethical," SAI secretary Neeraj Kansal told PTI.
"They have been hired by SAI for a full-time role and they are not allowed to participate in these types of leagues. We have an option of discontinuing their salaries for that particular period when they are engaged with HIL franchises. It is simple, if they don't disassociate themselves from their frnchises they can't take salary from us for the period of their HIL engagement. But that's the last option," he informed.
Walsh and Oltmans are employed with the SAI and draw USD 12,500 (Rs 7.73 lakh) and USD 15,000 (Rs 9.28 lakh) every month.
