New Delhi, May 2: The suspension of the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) by the Indian Olympic Association’s executive committee was being seen as an attempt to end KPS Gill’s association with hockey but the man in question refused to accept on Friday that he was no longer in charge.

Just two hours after the selection committee appointed by the IOA had issued a statement announcing the team for the Azlan Shan tournament starting in Malaysia on May 8, there was a second media release signed by Gill as “IHF president”. This e-mail was sent from the regular IHF account, in the name of the Indian Hockey Confederation — the internationally recognised body consisting of both the men’s and women’s federations. The players named were the same.

When contacted, Gill admitted he had sent the release. “It is perfectly genuine and authentic,” he told The Indian Express. When reminded about the IHF’s suspension, he said: “That is what the press says. I don’t go by media reports.”

Although the squad listed is the same, there are some differences in the two lists. The statement from the IOA includes Ric Charlesworth as an advisor for the squad and R K Shetty as the team’s manager but the IHF has omitted them and designated chief coach Joaquim Carvalho as observer-cum-manager.

IOA secretary-general Randhir Singh confirmed that the IHF had no role to play in selection. “Everyone knows what the situation is. The IOA executive committee has suspended the IHF and the selection committee we formed is the final authority on picking a team and making any announcements,” he said. “About what Mr Gill has said, I have no reason to comment.”

Selection committee chairman Aslam Sher Khan said he had expected this from the IHF. “The rulers have been deposed after such a long time. Perhaps this is their way of trying to discredit our very first attempt to bring some transparency in selection,” he said.

There was a detailed “explanation” in the IHF release slamming the IOA for making only “cosmetic” changes. The release said: “We had selected 11 Jr. players and 7 Sr. players from the team in Australia and now it is 9 players from the camp and 9 players from the Sr. team. It is just a cosmetic change.”We had selected 11 Jr. players and 7 Sr. players from the team in Australia and now it is 9 players from the camp and 9 players from the Sr. team. It is just a cosmetic change.”

It also criticised the IOA for dropping two players from the junior probables. “The two junior boys being dropped will mean less exposure to them in view of the forthcoming Jr. Asia Cup being held at Hyderabad in July 2008.”

In the past, Gill’s IHF rarely bothered to send team lists to the media. But now he could be digging his heels and getting ready for another fight, this time from outside the establishment.