Vidya Stokes loses FIH election

Prabhjot Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 1

Waning interest of Indians in hockey got a further blow with their single nominee, Vidya Stokes, losing the election of vice-president (women) in the just-concluded Congress of the International Hockey Federation that saw Leandro Negre of Spain replacing Els Vriesman (Belgium) as the new world hockey chief. Vidya Stokes lost to her Singapore rival, A. Dillon, a sitting vice-president.

Indians’ interest in the FIH general congress veered around Els Vriesman who was seeking second term in office. Though Peter Cohen, the incumbent secretary-general of the FIH, had also indicated his interest to contest for presidentship, he withdrew at the last minute. Peter Cohen will continue to be the secretary-general.

Interestingly, the IHC much before its takeover by the Indian Olympic Association had engaged the services of Hendricks, national coach of Spain, for overseeing the conduct of Indian Premier Hockey League. The PHL may be in doldrums now but the election of Leandro Negre as the new FIH chief may not be to the liking of either the ad hoc committee or the IOA.

It was Els Vriesman who brought the executive board meeting of the FIH to Delhi early this year and also signed a MoU with the IOA-backed ad hoc committee for the conduct of the 2010 World Cup Hockey Tournament in Delhi.

It is not only FIH that has seen changes at the top. Even the national hockey federations of both Australia and Spain also have new chiefs. Santiago Deo, who till recently was senior most umpire in both the Olympic and world cup panels of the FIH, has been elected president of the National Hockey Federation of Spain. Neither many Indian players nor officials have any special liking for Deo, against whom a demonstration was held during Athens Olympics. In Australia, Stuart Grimshaw will take over from Pamela Tye who has decided to retire.