The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has justifiably wanted to have a neutral Returning Officer for the February 7 Hockey India Election. The ministry’s desire was based on its Election Observer AK Mendiratta’s invalubale input and also in line with the Ministry’s earlier guidelines. Mendiratta is well known in the area of conducting free and fair election, it was because of his efforts, most of the transparency aspects were put in place

However, yesterday, the Vice-President of FIH and Observer of the FIH feels Mandher, the IOA’s choice of Returning Officer, is acceptable to him. He has said this in a communication to Ministry.

It was pointed out by the Ministry’s Election observer that only a retired judge should be the Returning Officer. Considering how elections are held in sports bodies in India, this opinion was appreciated by many, and was looked upon to materialize as well.

The Ministry wants to have free and fair election, but the FIH is hell bent on sabotaging its own openly stated such position.

The letter given below proves how the FIH is using its observer Ondorzo to serve the cause of IOA and existing Hockey India Officials. As far as the FIH is concerned, it is only about the sponsorhip and the World Cup, and it only sheds crocodile tears for transparent election. It’s action speak for this.

By all means, the way the Hockey India constitution was given approval, and the manner women have been sidelined in the electors list(without the FIH not objecting to it till date), and now interfering in the minor details of Returning Officer, the FIH has not come out with good intentions either.

It is really shocking this gentleman giving a Certificate to Mandher, quoting he is former home secretary.

Anybody in Indian sports is either a retired bureucrat or politician, what is wrong to have a judge to do the job, why FIH is not accepting to that? Really perplexing.

This is the verbatim letter written by Ondorza to the Government of India

Dear Madam,

I am in receipt of your letter January 18th 2010 sent to President of Hockey India with a copy to me as Vice-President of FIH and Observer of the FIH and the Elections Observer of the FIH and I would like to answer and clarify your letter as below.

The appointment of Shri G S Mander as Returning Officer was done prior to the Board of Hockey India having accepted the resignation of Mr A K Mattoo as President and therefore prior to the election of Mrs Vidya Stokes as the new President of Hockey India.

Shri S K Mendiratta was present when Shri G S Mander accepted his appointment. I have spoken to Shri G S Mander who is the President of the Wrestling Federation of India as well as having been the Home Secretary of the Government of India and found him as an excellent candidate to be the Returning Officer for the upcoming Elections of Hockey India. This was also the view of the Members of the Board of Hockey India including the new President of Hockey India and of IOA and the FIH.

I had mentioned before in a meeting with the joint Secretary of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports of India Mr Injeti Srinivas who mentioned that preferable a retired Judge should be nominated, the FIH preferred a neutral candidate to come from another Sport Federation with experience in Sport affairs. It was therefore decided to accept Shri G S Mander as Returning Officer. The FIH is totally convinced of the capacity of the Returning Officer who will receive the nominations, monitor the elections to be held by secret ballot and therefore are going to be fair and transparent.

Meanwhile all elections documents as well as the procedure of receiving nominations with corresponding deadlines have been sent to all affiliated States and therefore the Elections process started to be finalized on February 7th 2010.

I hope I have clarified our position and I remain, dear Sir, at your disposition.

Sincerely yours

ANTONIO VON ONDARZA
FIH Vice President

FIH Observer