FIH in dilemma over affiliation to India

Prabhjot Singh

Tribune News Service

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) is caught in a piquant situation as Indian Ministry of Sports refuses to recognize its Indian affiliate – Hockey India – for its reluctance to accept the mandatory guidelines on terms of office-bearers as well as upper age limit for key office-bearers of the National Sports Federations.

In the absence of recognition by the Union Ministry of Sports, the FIH could not firm up its decision taken earlier to allot 2011 Champions Trophy to India.

The FIH chief, Leandro Negre, and Secretary-General, Peter Cohen, who were in New Delhi, during the Commonwealth Games, did try to act as mediators to bring the warring factions and parallel hockey bodies together but reluctance of the Hockey India top brass to accept the guidelines turned remained a major hurdle in working out a settlement.

While the FIH recognizes Hockey India, the Ministry of Sports has given recognition to the Indian Hockey Federation that after announcing merger of men and women bodies held its elections in the first week of this month. The FIH, however, continues to maintain a distance from the body recognized by the Indian Ministry of Sports.

Impressed by the massive turnout at hockey competition of the just concluded Commonwealth Games, the FIH top brass is keen to keep India in its loop for holding major events. Besides the Champions Trophy, the FIH is also keen to hold World Clubs Hockey Tournament in India.

The successful conduct of the 2010 World Cup followed by the Commonwealth Games have reiterated the FIH confidence in India’s ability for conducting the major events extremely well.

Interestingly, when the FIH Congress meets in Montreux in Switzerland from November 6 to 14, it may consider amending the FIH constitution. Among the proposed changes is introduction of clause fixing the upper age limit for office-bearers.

Sources reveal that FIH may also debar people older than 70 years of age from holding any office in the body. Another important amendment being considered is abolition of the post of the Secretary-General. Instead, the powers would go to the executive board.

Once these amendments are made and approved, the FIH may circulate these changes to its affiliated units suggesting them to incorporate them in their respective constitutions. The FIH can only make recommendation and not force the affiliated units to incorporate them.

The FIH may also make an exception in going ahead with its earlier decision of holding the 2011 Champions Trophy in India by raising the number of participating teams to eight. This may also lead to dividing of teams into two pools of four teams each or changing the pattern of the tournament as a special case to a double leg tournament. In case, as a part of settlement, the FIH tells Hockey India to hold the tournament in Punjab, it may be conducted at the proposed new Hockey Stadium at Mohali and Surjit Stadium at Jalandhar.

Meanwhile the FIH Congress will also consider the two bids it has received for holding the 2014 World Cups for men and women.

Both submissions have come from European countries, with England and The Netherlands giving a clear commitment to host these showpiece events.

The bids, submitted by England Hockey and the Koninklijke Nederlandse Hockey Bond (KNHB) respectively, will be evaluated by the FIH over the coming weeks.