Athens: Something wrong with India’s stars here at this Olympics. Misfortunes and scandals seem to be raining. The hockey team is in a real pit, so to say. Losses apart, even to New Zealand, injuries haven’t really left the team alone. The other day William Xalco fractured his right thumb and was out. Then, soon after the New Zealand match, Deepak Thakur was caught in deep chest pains and had to be removed to the hospital.

The player, who had been rushed to the intensive care unit, is still under observation, but all who have visited him, including Dr Vece Paes, have reported him to be “fine and cheerful”, and that there is “no need to worry.” Paes informed that it was “possible for players to suffer such chest pains,” and Indian Hockey Federation secretary K. Jyothikumaran said “there isn’t anything wrong with the heart, it has been cleared, it is a normal pain.”

ECGs have revealed nothing, and “while Deepak was very eager to play tomorrow’s match (versus Argentina) we have asked him to rest and recover, and anyway the doctors want to see him for 72 hours before letting him go,” Jyothikumaran said. The hockey officials have been assured that these are only muscular pains.

The match itself is of a little more than academic interest to the Indians, who will be playing for minor placings now. If there is pride in beating Argentina, then that is what India will be playing for. At this point of time India are fourth in pool B, and Argentina have bottomed out the six-member group.

There has been no result of the extra money that the IHF paid (500 euros) for another review of the decision on the last goal from New Zealand. That payment has been fruitless.

Indian coach Gerhard Rach isn’t a happy man, but has not stopped talking bluntly. “Nobody in the group wants to finish at the bottom,” he said. “This group has seen narrow margins, unlike the other group and there is little difference,” he said. “Whatever the other issues, we must win.”

He will, of course, have problem putting in a fit team. Baljit Singh Dhillon had stomach cramps Saturday, maybe he will be fit for tomorrow.

The Asian hockey scenario has been bleak. Pakistan are fourth with six points in the other pool, virtually out of all the big action, and the Koreans are tottering at third spot with seven points.

Problem is that Germany are on 10 points and Spain on eight, but Spain play Egypt Monday and how many they will score is anybody’s guess. Korea will meet Germany, and that’s not a good prospect, and Pakistan take on Britain.

The theoretical possibilities remain, though, but the Asian scene in general has been bleak.