Hockey

The All India MCC Murugappa Cup hockey tournament will be held in Chennai from September 4 to 14.

The tournament is being organised under the aegis of the Ad-hoc Committee of Indian Olympic Association.

Defending champions Bharat Petroleum Corporation have been placed in Group B along with Air India, Namdhari XI, Sports Hostel Orissa and Army while Group A has Indian Oil Corporation, Karnataka, Mumbai, Indian Railways and Indian Overseas Bank.

Arun Murugappan, a top official of the Organising Committee, said the tournament, a Grade A event, was not held last year due to tight schedule of domestic events and the busy programme of the Indian teams.

"The Murugappa Group of Companies have increased prize money to Rs 1.50 lakh and Rs 1 lakh for the winners and runners-up," he said at a press conference.

Announcing several prizes for top performers in each of the 23 matches, Murugappan said international referees headed by Shakeel Qureshi will officiate the matches and evening matches will be played under floodlights.

Meanwhile, former Olympian Muneer Sait said the committee decided not to invite a Tamil Nadu state team, which has been a regular feature, and instead club champions from the state, the Indian Overseas Bank, have been chosen.

Former India captain and coach V Bhaskaran countered this by saying that Tamil Nadu have not been invited for other reasons.

"Tamil Nadu is one of the best state teams in the country and have been figuring in semi-finals of national tournaments in last over four years. I had insisted that the Tamil Nadu team, which has should be extended the invitation. But the IOA Ad-Hoc Committee decided otherwise."