Ministry advises Hockey India against election

Union Sports ministry advises Hockey India Secretary Narinder Batra against him going ahead with the proposed election of Hockey India. Hockey India, it is believed, has proposed to hold the election before the first week of July.

However, quoting the High Court judgment with respect to IHF disaffiliation, the Ministry has sent a communication to Narinder Batra ‘not to take any further action with regard to holding of the lecitons till the entire matter is examined in consoulation with Ministry of Law.’

Earlier in the day, Hockey India claimed that the International Hockey Federation (FIH) recognises it as the sole representative of the game in the country.

According to a letter written by the FIH Secretary General to Narinder Batra, ‘Hockey India is and remains the sole governing body for hockey, men and women, in India and thereafter Hockey India is administered in accordance with its statutes as approved by the FIH’.

‘The interests of FIH are to see Hockey India fully constituted and operating in accordance with its statutes so that the sport in India will develop and flourish. FIH has no desire to penalise anyone, least of all the players’.

The ministry’s latest missive is consequent to this claim of Hockey India to go ahead with the election.

Indian hockey administration is in limbo for more than two years, and the recent court judgment that quashed the disaffiliation of IHF has added another dimension to the whole issue.

However, it is to be noted that despite so many complexities in the administration, the national team program has been going on — of course at the cost of the government of India – and they have recently defended the Azlan Shah Cup.