Vijayanathan, of the 1975 World Cup fame as the umpire who awarded the controversial goal to India in the final against Pakistan, spoke about the incidents on Sunday.

The Malaysian said, ``I agree these things happen, but from where I sat in the stands, I thought that Zaidi blew for the penalty corner after the full-time hooter was sounded. The technical table has the authority to intervene and indicate to the umpire that the penalty corner cannot be taken since he had blown the whistle after the hooter.'' The technical table maintained that the umpires' decision was correct.

It appears that Zaidi is unofficially blacklisted in his own country. Senior Pakistani journalists said Zaidi hardly does any umpiring in domestic tournaments. ``We make sure that he isnot posted for any big match. He is very unpopular for the simple reason that he is not good enough,'' said a Pakistani scribe who did not want to be named.

The Pakistan Hockey Federation itself does not have a good opinion of Zaidi's umpiring. ``That he is has reached so far as an umpiring is baffling. But it gives you an indication that there are other forces at work and if you know your way around in the International Hockey Federation (FIH), then anything is possible,'' said a long-time FIH official on the condition of anonymity.

The FIH has its own evaluation process as regards international umpires. As such, the postings for the World Cup, Olympics or other international tournaments are handled directly by the FIH. Thus, as in any other sphere of activity, everything boils down to who knows whom, and with the right connections, one can secure plum assignments.

The FIH cut a sorry figure on Sunday for Zaidi was the choice of the sport's world governing body for Utrecht and, incidentally, the onlyumpire from the Asian sub-continent in the current competition.

In fact, the standard of umpiring at the 1994 Sydney World Cup and the 1996 Atlanta Olympics had evoked severe condemnation from all quarters.

Vijayanathan, the tournament director at Atlanta had, in a report to the FIH, taken apart the umpiring at Olympics and had urged for action to improve the quality.

However, Vijayanathan's report, apparently, is gathering dust while the Zaidis continue to abound hockey. The FIH, as is to be expected, is protective of its umpires in public. The FIH has chosen to maintain silence on Sunday's incidents. The reply of convenience from top officials, when contacted, was, ``Sorry, I didn't see the incident.''

But the official stand on umpiring was made clear at the managers' meeting on the eve of the tournament when the teams were told that the umpires' decisions were final. In effect, it was a subtle instruction for the teams not to lodge protests.

Zaidi out of World Cup

Pakistan umpire IrfanZaidi, whose inept and biased umpiring undid Indian hopes against South Korea yesterday, will not officiate again in the ninth World Cup hockey championship in progress here.

The technical director reportedly had a long discussion with the umpires committee and decided that Irfan should not be given any more matches.