Now its Hockey Delhi’s turn to fight affiliation battle

by Uthra Ganesan in Indian Express

While Hockey India deliberates over grant of affiliation to Delhi ahead of the scheduled elections on January 29, the state body itself is riddled with factions that makes a mockery of HI’s claim that “all parties will be included in the process”. And interestingly, former IHF president KPS Gill is again at the centre of it all.

Gill has been included as one of the members of Hockey Delhi, an ad-hoc body formed to represent Delhi in Hockey India after merger of the erstwhile Delhi and Districts Hockey Association (DDHA) and the Delhi Women’s Hockey Association (DWHA). Former DWHA president Amrit Bose, secretary Dr Sudarshan Pathak and Charanjeet Singh Raheja are the other members of Hockey Delhi. Gill, who was earlier president of Himachal Pradesh Hockey Association, has been included despite not been associated with any Delhi club, a pre-requisite for being a member.

The DDHA is a prime example of the mess that the merger of state bodies has become throughout the country. While a small group of 5-7 people have not only formed Hockey Delhi and even got it registered, a majority of people associated with Delhi hockey for long — including some of the office bearers in the pre-merger set-up — have been left out without any information.

‘It’s an illegal body’

But what raises doubts over the formation of the state body is the fact that Hockey Delhi has Raj Chopra as its chairman, who is also the president of Delhi Olympic Association — the body responsible for granting approval to it.

“Hockey Delhi is a completely illegal body,” claimed Bhupinder Singh, a senior vice-president in the erstwhile DDHA and one of those opposing the new set up. “Neither have they been approved by the general body or the executive committee, nor has any information been provided on how this group was formed,” he added.

Another member of the rival faction said they had the support of 24 of the 30-odd voting members of DDHA during an emergency general body meeting held on November 18 last year, claims borne out by documents accessed by Sportline, in addition to five from the DWHA. “How can a handful of people decide amongst themselves on such an important issue as merger of two associations,” he questioned, adding that according to the DDHA constitution, all powers regarding decision on control and management of the body was vested only in the executive committee.

However, when asked about it, a Hockey Delhi official revealed, “We are a registered body with all documents. We will be meeting with DOA on Thursday to discuss the affiliation issue, and we are hopeful of being recognised as the official representatives of Delhi hockey.”

Legal recourse?

However, given the way the affiliation process has happened in other states, it is unlikely that those opposing Hockey Delhi would have little recourse except to challenge it in court.

While in Tamil Nadu the Jothikumaran faction was affiliated despite the state Olympic association recognising a rival group, Punjab has been refused recognition despite completing all formalities.

In such a scenario, a faction-ridden Delhi hockey, still awaiting the DOA approval and yet to apply with HI, seems a far way from solving its problems.

Read a related article in stick2hockey.com