“There is more politics in sports than in real one”. This used to be the refrain of most knowledgeable politicians in television discussion on sports.

If you have any doubt on that, you got one today — that has cropped from the stable of Indian Olympic Association.

The umbrella organization of Indian Olympic sports, IOA, today announced formation of ‘Hockey India’ in a hurriedly convened press conference here in Delhi.

Suresh Kalmadi, the president of the IOA, in essence announced the following:

Indian Hockey Federation and Indian Women Hockey Federation stands disaffiliated with immediate effect.

IOA to constitute a single body of Hockey namely ‘Hockey India’ which will look after the affairs of hockey in India for men and women.

IOA to grant provisional affiliation to hockey India which will govern and administer hockey in India for men and women and which will ensure of unit for all the states to govern and administer the functions, ie. men and women in the state with the help of State Olympic Associations and with the State units of dis-affiliated IHF and IWHF.

After formation of State units, conduct election of the body within six months of its registration under the supervision of observer from FIH.

According to official press release, Hockey India has been constituted after a nne member committee of the IOA did the spade work and recommend it.

Hockey India is headed by AK Mattoo as president, Vidya Stokes as the Senor Vice President, Md.Aslam Khan as its Secretary General, Narender Batra as its treasurer.