IOA meet on hockey merger inconclusive

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) finally got a taste of its own medicine as the “first round” of merger talks with Hockey India and Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) remained inconclusive as both sides stuck to their stated stands. IOA acting president Vijay Kumar Malhotra had called the urgent meeting after the FIH threatened to throw India out of the 2012 London Olympics unless the governance issue was sorted out.

The IOA had created Hockey India ignoring the state associations affiliated to IHF and the complexities of the problem hit Malhotra in the face on Tuesday.

Both HI and IHF have now been asked to come up with proposals to solve the governance issue to the satisfaction of the FIH.

“IOA normally does not interfere in the issues of federations but at the same time, when the team will participate in the Olympics, it will be called

IOA contingent and that’s why we are interfering in this issue. Without hockey, our contingent does not look complete,” Malhotra said after the meeting.

“We want HI and IHF to come up with a compromise soon and keep their egos aside in the best interest of hockey. We are confident that Olympic qualifiers will be held in India and our team will qualify for the London Olympics,” Malhotra said.