Sports Ministry takes on HI, FIH

NEW DELHI: There was a new twist on Wednesday to the controversy over the returning officer (RO) for the February 7 Hockey India (HI) elections.

HI on Wednesday took cover behind a letter from the international hockey federation’s (FIH) election observer to the sports ministry which sought to justify Indian Olympic Association (IOA) vice president GS Mander’s appointment as the returning officer. The sports ministry on its part firmly rejected Mander’s appointment and advised the interim body not to take any such step that could “impair the legitimacy of the newly elected body”.

Sources, meanwhile, said that four state units – Delhi, Punjab, West Bengal and Jharkhand – have also protested against Mander’s appointment. HI released FIH observer Antonio Von Ondarza’s letter to sports ministry which said: “I have spoken to Shri GS Mander who is the president of the Wrestling Federation of India… and found him as an excellent candidate… The FIH is totally convinced of the capacity of the returning officer,” Ondarza wrote in the letter.

Ondarza also said the government observer SK Mendiratta was present when Mander accepted his appointment.

Ministry sources however said that while Mendiratta was present at the meeting to appoint Mander, he had protested when Mander’s name cropped up. In fact, Mendiratta had issued a letter against Mander’s appointment a day later, asking HI to stick to guidelines. Ministry officials are also fuming over the FIH letter and questioned FIH’s position in the election process. “FIH has no business to interfere in HI’s election process,” said an official.

“The returning officer must be independent of Hockey India as well as IOA because Hockey India itself is a creation of the IOA. The name of Mander has been rejected because he holds the post of vice-president in IOA. In view of this, the ministry has advised HI to take immediate corrective steps and consider appointing CK Mahajan, a retired High Court Judge or a retired chief election commissioner or Madhukar Gupta, former sports secretary, who also served as the Union home secretary before his retirement,” ministry sources said.

Ministry officials are also apparently unhappy that despite being in India at a critical phase of preparations for the World Cup, the FIH president Leandro Negre did not meet any of the sports officials or the minister during his current visit to India.

The ministry, meanwhile, also dismissed the contention of Hockey India “that their constitution allows even rank outsiders to be nominated as authorised representatives of member units”.

Meanwhile, Hockey Punjab secretary Pargat Singh said he has written to HI, FIH observer as well as the ministry questioning Mander’s appointment. “He’s an IOA official. His appointment is like having a returning officer from a political party to conduct a general election,” Pargat told TOI.

FIH chief Negre meets Roy

FIH president Leandro Negre met Sahara group chairman Subrata Roy in Mumbai on Wednesday and thanked him for his role in resolving the players’ dispute in Pune. “I have thanked him for his wholehearted support to resolve the hockey dispute between players and Hockey India,” Negre said.

World Cup website launched

FIH and the organisers of the Hero Honda World Cup on Wednesday launched the official website of the showcase event. The website www.msnindia.com/worldcuphockey will have regular updates.