A day after being rapped by the Sports Ministry for its selection policy, the Indian Hockey Federation announced a seven-member selection committee that includes four former national captains.
Former Olympians and captains Gurbux Singh, B P Govinda, Aslam Sher Khan and Surinder Singh Sodhi were named in the committee, to be headed by IHF president K P S Gill.
IHF secretary-general K Jothikumaran is member secretary and IPS officer Prithviraj the vice-chairman.
The Sports Ministry had on Wednesday asked the IHF to put in place a transparent selection policy but a top official of the federation claimed that the names had been finalised much before the meeting.
"It has nothing to do with the meeting with the Sports Ministry. The names were finalised long before," he said, adding that one of the selectors had even been sent with the team to Japan to observe the players perform in the four-nation tournament.
"Govinda has been sent to Japan to see how the team performs there."
For the last two years, the team was selected by Gill, Prithviraj and Jothikumaran.
However, the official claimed that the IHF used to also involve the coach, trainer and former players in the selection process.
The former players, who have been named in the selection committee, have represented India in one or more Olympics.
Gurbux was a member of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics gold medal-winning team and also coached the team for the Montreal Olympics.
Govinda and Aslam Sher Khan played in the Munich and Montreal Olympics while Moscow Olympian Sodhi led India to the bronze medal in the 1982 Champions Trophy in Amstelveen.
The IHF also announced the appointment of veteran sports commentator Anupam Ghulati as its media and communication advisor.
