The team, which arrived in the Capital yesterday morning, was forced to check out of the Residential Wing of the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in the afternoon as the conditions there were `pathetic'. ``The fans were not working and the rooms were stinking. I didn't want my players to fall sick prior to such an important tournament,'' coach CR Kumar told The Indian Express. The team shifted to Ritz View Hotel on Shanker Road, putting further strain on IHF's resources.

The officials at the JN Stadium said that 200 boys -- who had come to participate in the Independence Day celebrations -- were put up at the Residential Wing, thus leading to the mess the rooms were in.

It may be recalled that the World Cup-bound hockey team had to shift out ofthe JN Stadium due to poor conditions, prior to their departure for Utrecht in May.

Meanwhile, the team had a practice match against the Air-India Academy at the National Stadium on Sunday evening. Coach CR Kumar, who was the assistant coach with the World Cup team, said that he was undeterred by the last-place finish in last year's edition, and was hoping for improvement. ``It's a challenge,'' he said.