Mattoo resigns as HI president

AGE CORRESPONDENT

New Delhi

Jan. 17: A.K. Mattoo resigned as the Hockey India president and from all other administrative posts in various sports bodies, after coming under fire during the national hockey team’s player rebellion recently.

Mattoo sent his resignation to the Indian Olympic Association president Suresh Kalmadi and said that he had made up his mind to “take retirement from sports administration”.

“I have submitted my resignation to Kalmadi and I now want to take retirement from sports administration. I have served for 40 years and it has been a long and fruitful innings,” Matoo said.

Apart from being Hockey India president, Mattoo is also the treasurer of the IOA and the Organising Commitee of the Commonwealth Games. Mattoo had been at the center of a players’ rebellion earlier this week over non-payment of dues. He had claimed that HI had no funds and had offered Rs 25,000 each to the players, who were not willing to settle for anything less than Rs 4.5 lakh for match fee, incentives and their dues.

Asked whether he would reconsider his decision, he said, “No, I have made up my mind and don’t want to get into all these again.”

The IOA, however, said it will take a call on Mattoo’s resignation on Monday but would like to see him continue in his post.

OC secretary general and spokesperson Lalit Bhanot said the committee was yet to receive a copy of Mattoo’s resignation and would take a decision only after a discussion with Kalmadi.

Mattoo’s term as the HI president would have come to an end in February 7, the day of election which would pave the way for a new committee to take charge of the body.

The FIH had made it mandatory for the HI to complete the election formalities before the World Cup while granting the mega event to India.

Mattoo may, however, be asked to continue till the election formalities are over since it would be difficult for a new person to understand the issues at such a late stage.