Cloud over PHL, Dec 4 hearing likely to decide issue
KOLKATA,
UNCERTAINTY looms large over the staging of the Professional Hockey League (PHL) this year. The reason, the present state of confusion in the Indian hockey. The PHL organising committee has the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF), ESPN and Leisure Sports Management (LSM) as its members. But after the IHF was disbanded, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) took charge of Indian hockey and has been controlling the game since. The IOA doesn’t have any reservations as far as continuing with the PHL, but it wants the IHF to be omitted from the PHL organising committee.
IHF president KPS Gill, on the other hand, said that he would pull out of the committee if, and only if, there’s no IOA representation. The ESPN and LSM top brass feel, if there’s an attempt to amend the constitution to leave out the IHF, the latter might move court and seek a stay order on organising the PHL.
Gill has already appealed to the Delhi High Court seeking elections for the posts of office bearers in the IHF. The High Court reportedly has sought a reply from the IOA but hasn’t received anything yet. The matter is likely to come up for hearing on December 4.
“We are expecting a positive verdict from the Delhi High Court. It will help us finalise the PHL itinerary. If the court allows the polls to be conducted in the IHF, the problems will be solved. The body will continue to be a part of the PHL organising committee,” LSM chief SS Dasgupta told The Indian Express.
The organising committee has already deferred the start of this year’s PHL by a couple of months. The tournament is likely to be played in February-March next year. But the deferment might see unavailability of some top foreign players. At the same time, the corportaes appear to be frustrated with the present state of Indian hockey.
India will play host to the World Cup hockey in 2010 and the IOA is planning some exposure trips for the senior national team ahead of the big event. But it is yet to choose a coach for the team, which hasn’t gone down well with the sponsors. The senior team also hasn’t participated in a single competitive match in last nine months.