Dhanraj Pillay, Suresh Kalmadi meet players

Pune: Sponsors Sahara India have decided to release Rs 1 crore immediately for the national hockey team, in a bid to break the logjam and get players back on the field to prepare for the World Cup next month.  

Wednesday morning saw swift efforts to resolve the crisis after negotiations between the hockey management and players reached a new low on Tuesday, with Hockey India threatening to sack the players and the national team refusing to budge without being paid for their 2009 podium finishes.

Indian Olympic Association (IOA) chief Suresh Kalmadi is expected to meet the hockey players in Pune later in the day.

Ex-India hockey captain Dhanraj Pillay also landed in Pune to talk to the players and come to a conclusion.

"I am here to meet the players to help resolve issues," he said.

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Showing a ray of hope to the players and the billions of fans of the sport, Pillay revealed that there were some new developements. "There have been some new developments. Hopefully we should have some good news in a while," he added.

Contrary to Pillay's words of wisdon, the 'B' Team has come out in full support of their seniors.

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Drag Flicker and juniour tem captain V Raghunath said that his team will stand with the seniors in their fight against Hockey India over monetary injustice and won't fill in for them at the World Cup.

Raghunath said, "We are not going to play if the senior team is sacked."

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Another junior hockey team member, Ajitesh Roy seconded Raghunath's words.

In a statement, Sahara India said that in the interest of the national hockey players, it had decided to pay Rs. 1 crore immediately into the suspense account of Hockey India. This money it said would only be "for distribution to the players so that they can peacefully and happily practice and play for the country." (Pics: Crisis in Indian hockey)

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Sahara said it had also paid Rs. 77 lakhs in December as advance for the quarter beginning January 15.

The statement said Sahara would go through the past accounts of Hockey India and would take "suitable decision for this amount."

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On Tuesday, the crisis in Indian hockey had worsened, with Hockey India throwing up its hands saying it did not have the Rs 4.5 lakh per player that the team was demanding and could only offer Rs 25,000 per podium finish for 2009.

The players scoffed at this and said that they had no idea of the accounts and also that they had not been allowed to meet sponsors Sahara.

While Hockey India gave the players till Thursday to resume practice after which it said it would play the World Cup with newcomers, if necessary, the players said they would play the tournament with their own money but would not budge on the strike.

Late on Tuesday, Sports Minister MS Gill appealed to the players to begin preparing for the World Cup, promising them a "fair deal' after the tournament. (Read: Sports Minister asks players to call off strike)

There have also been offers from the Punjab and Madhya Pradesh government and a leading cement manufacturer to meet the demands of the players so they can play the World Cup in peace. (Read: Madhya Pradesh offers help)