NEW DELHI, 12 May 2004 — India’s star field hockey player Dhanraj Pillay was named yesterday on a short-list of players for a special preparatory camp ahead of this year’s Olympic Games in Athens.
The mercurial forward, who did not figure in an earlier list of 30 probables, was named along with veteran forward Baljit Dhillon and seven others for the camp in Germany due to take place from May 27 to June 21.
Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) Chief Kunwar Gill said Pillay had a good chance of making it to the Olympics.
“Even if he is 80 percent fit, he will play,” said Gill. “We have chosen nine top players for the camp in Cologne, Germany, to train under foreign coaches.” Pillay was ignored for two four-nation tournaments in Australia last month and dropped on fitness grounds for the Olympic qualifiers in Madrid in March this year. India are looking to improve their showing in field hockey, which is still considered the national game even though cricket is way ahead in popularity.
