The Mumbai Hockey Association has told the Indian Hockey Federation that the players’ membership is an internal issue and that they will abide by their constitution.

The IHF had asked the MHA to treat the matter on priority. MHA replied: “The issue of granting membership to anybody of the MHA is an internal matter and, as such, all memberships are governed by our own constitution,” the letter said.

A senior MHA official was disappointed that the letter was dashed off without other members’ consent.