‘Upset’ state units to meet in Delhi

BANGALORE: The Indian Olympic Association’s attempt at allaying the fears of state units on Hockey
India was met with suspicion and derision with
the Bengal Hockey Association (BHA) president JB Roy stating that hockey associations from around the country will meet in New Delhi next Wednesday to chalk out the future course of action.

“The IOA has shown its true colours. They have betrayed us and the day is not far off when they will do the same thing to other sports,” said Roy, who has been empowered by the state units to lead their united front.

“Promise of elections is all hogwash. The constitution of Hockey India clearly states that it would be held from one Olympic year to the next. This automatically means that the incumbent, AK Mattoo, will remain in power till 2012,” he pointed out.

“What is even stranger is that the IOA has invited the state units to join Hockey India as stakeholders. Can there be anything more absurd? We ought to running the hockey affairs in the country, yet we are being asked to join a body which is being headed by a former boxing federation president!”

To counter the move, nearly 26 state men’s hockey units and 20 women associations will meet in Delhi on June 10. “We will discuss our future plans. If needed we will take legal action. We will also register our protest with the international hockey federation (FIH). As I mentioned to FIH president Leandro Negre last time, we need an elected Hockey India, not a nominated one. And, that’s what has happened.”

Roy has already dashed off a letter to Union sports minister MS Gill, stating that the formation of Hockey India without consulting the state units was totally illegal. “It is surprising that the memorandum of the society nowhere mentions the mode, method or occasion from where it derives the authority to register the society,” Roy states in the letter drafted by his lawyers.

“It also doesn’t state how sweeping powers ranging from “to organize and control the game of Hockey in India” to “to select and control the Indian Hockey team to the Olympics, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games etc, have been assigned to the society.”