New Delhi: The 26-member Indian hockey squad, leaving for USA tonight (June 1, 2004) for an Olympic training-cum-competition trip, was given a warm send off in New Delhi today with Sports Minister Sunil Dutt exhorting the players to restore lost glory.

"I am really delighted to meet you all. The motto of my college was 'I can and I'll win', that should be your motto as well. Be confident that you can win," he told the players, who responded with a round of big applause.

The film star-turned-politician, who took over as the new Sports Minister in the United Progressive Alliance Government, said, "The nation is confident that you will win a medal, even a gold, in Athens."

The squad will work on its physical fitness at the prestigious Athletics Professional Institute in Phoenix, USA till June 21 before moving to Amsterdam for another training session from June 22 to 24. The team will also play a 4-nation tournament in Holland from June 25 to July 4.

"I have witnessed on television the passion of players when they attain Olympic glory. Standing on the podium with the national anthem being played, they are overwhelmed with pride," he said to inspire the squad, which will go into the Olympics with the tag of eight-time champions, the last gold coming in Moscow in 1980.