Dark clouds over India’s hockey World Cup bid

BJ Brahma

NEW DELHI: India runs the risk of losing the 2010 Hockey World Cup to Malaysia if the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) does not put an elected federation in place before the event.

That was the strong message conveyed by the soft-spoken Leandro Negre – the president of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) – to the IOA’s ad hoc committee running hockey in the country.

“We very much want the World Cup to be held in India. But there are certain FIH guidelines which need to be followed. We have asked them to have a unique body (Hockey India, a federation to represent both men’s and women’s hockey in the country) in place before the World Cup. It is essential, or else we have a Plan B in place. Just in case we need (to), Malaysia is prepared,” Negre said here at his first press conference since assuming office late last year.

“We are here to know the situation, meet our friends and advise them. This is India’s internal matter but we are ready to help them.”

Negre, who is here with an FIH delegation since Monday, appeared far from happy with the fact that despite governing the game for almost a year, the ad hoc committee has failed to take substantial steps towards forming an elected hockey federation.

The ad hoc committee was formed after the IOA dissolved the KPS Gill-led Indian Hockey Federation. Gill has since moved court against the decision.

Negre’s ‘directive’ assumes significance in the wake of his recent meeting with JB Roy, the Bengal Hockey Association president and representative of several state units. Roy has pressed for the need to have an elected federation in place at the earliest.

Though committee member and IOA secretary general Randhir Singh said a new set-up would be in place in six months, he refrained from elaborating how it would come about with the matter pending in court. Sources, however, said that it would be possible to constitute Hockey India since the case in the Delhi High Court pertains only to the now-defunct Indian Hockey Federation.

The Spaniard also downplayed security concerns surrounding the World Cup. “Security is an issue whenever a big event is organised. It is important anywhere in the world, not only in India but in Germany, Holland or Spain. But the authorities here have assured us top security for the World Cup,” Negre said.

The president also said he would love to see Pakistan in action in the World Cup in India but was far from forthcoming when asked about FIH’s stand in case the country is not allowed to participate. “We are not political guys, we are hockey players,” Negre, a former Spanish goalkeeper, said.

“Please don’t ask us political questions.”

Negre will be back in India next month to oversee preparations and is hoping concrete steps are taken towards making Hockey India a reality.