Bangalore: The National hockey championship may be a much shorter, keener affair if the ad hoc committee of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) studies the recommendation of the Olympians with due seriousness.
With the Indian Hockey Federation bursting at its seams with 39 full members and around 15 associate members, the Nationals were always long-drawn and cumbersome, leaving the federation with few choices as the number discouraged states from hosting the event.
Olympians at the IOA meeting on Thursday said the very concept of associate members, conjured up by the federation around 13 years ago at an entry fee of Rs 5 lakh, diluted the National championships, making it far more club-centric than it actually was.
The Olympians felt that by restricting the Nationals to the states and the four institutional members — Services, Indian Railways, Indian Airlines and Combined Universities — the IOA would only strengthen the state teams.
“Right now, no state is keen on the Nationals,” said former goalkeeper AB Subbaiah. “With their cream taken away by the associate members, they are forced to field their B or C strings. With the associate members gone, the states would automatically get back their best players.”