Now, Maharashtra Olympic Association disaffiliates MHA
Mumbai: It seems Hockey India elections will be delayed further. In a fresh development on Wednesday, Maharashtra Olympic Association (MOA) disaffiliated the state hockey body, saying it had received written complaints against the MHA from various quarters.
According to MOA secretary Baba Sahib Langde, the affiliation to the state body was given on a temporary basis and now the MOA executive body has decided to withdraw that soon after receiving the complaints from other stakeholders in the state, which included Mumbai and Vidharbha hockey associations.
“Vidharbha and some factions of Maharashtra unit are questioning as to how they were not recommended for HI affiliation, the MOA executive committee unanimously decided to withdraw the recommendation,” Langde said.
However, Maharashtra Hockey Association secretary Ikram Khan cried foul over the move and said the MOA did not place any reason for the move and simply restricted MHA president Victor Ellis from attending the Pune AGM. “When our (MHA) president went to attend the meeting, he was asked why he was there and informed that we have been disaffiliated, but they didn’t give any reason,” Ikram said.
“It is really shocking. We have paid the affiliation fees to MOA and also got the receipt of the payment from them. It seems that they took decision after we didn’t nominate Kalmadi from MHA, but we can’t say anything with surety till we receive the papers,” he added.
The move came three days after former captain and Hockey Punjab secretary Pargat Singh launched a scathing attack on Kalmadi, calling him a “sports mafia” who is trying to become the HI chief by hook or crook.