Ministry recognizes Hockey India as the sole hockey body in India

Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, in an order, gave National Sports recognition to Hockey India to govern the sport in India.

This set at rest so many of litigations going on in many courts between Hockey India and Indian Hockey Federation.

The said Ministry’s five page order elaborates sequence of events and court decisions of past many years and also rulings of FIH and Indian Olympic Association to support its decision.

Recently, a court in India refused to include FIH from the IHF – HI litigation.

Indian Hockey Federation, an 80-year old sports federation, first in Asia for the sport of hockey, was dissolved by the Indian Olympic Association in the after math of a sting operation by Aaj Tak television mid way through 2008. The action was in sync with the then FIH directive and also on popular demand, as India had just been failed to figure in the Olympics.

The IOA formed an adhoc committee Aslam Khan as Secretary with selection committee headed by Aslam Sher Khan.

Later, Hockey India was put in place by the combined deal of IOA and FIH, with each state asked to form a new body after merging men and women associations.

Then came the biggest twist of Delhi High Court ruling the dissolution of IHF was wrong on technical grounds, but subsequent leeway offered by Supreme Court to field Indian team by Hockey India for the 2010 Commonwealth Games changed the course in favour of new body Hockey India, since then it was only time before it is recognized by the government of India.

Hockey India press release adds:

Any Nationals Sports Body needs to be recognized as the body by both International Federation as well as Indian Olympic Association. Hockey India has fulfilled both the criteria since the year 2009 wherein International Hockey Federation (FIH) as well as Asian Hockey Federation have considered Hockey India as the body and major tournaments have been organized in association with Hockey India since then.

Since 2012, Hockey India and FIH have organized major tournaments like FIH Olympic Qualifiers, FIH World League Round 2, FIH Junior Men World Cup and FIH World League Round Final.

The manner in which Hockey India has been successfully conducting International tournaments in the last few years, has helped them bag major events between 2014 -2018 which includes Champions Trophy which is slotted for later in the year and which includes FIH Women’s World League Round-2 and FIH Men’s World League Final in 2015, FIH Junior Men’s World Cup 2016, FIH Men’s World League Round Final in 2017 and FIH Senior Men’s World Cup in 2018. This effort towards ensuring that International tournaments being played in India helped Hockey India get this recognition by Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports.

Hockey India has 27 Affiliated Members, 19 Associate Members and two members through State Olympic Association. Hockey India has been regularly holding National Championships since 2011 under men and women’s category at senior, junior and sub-junior levels. The 4th Hockey India National Championships 2014 are already underway. Besides this, Hockey India has also organised FIH-HI High Performance Coaching Course 2012-2015 and FIH Umpiring Seminar in 2012.