Centre assures SC to settle hockey dispute in one week

NEW DELHI: Government on Friday assured the Supreme Court that it would resolve the ongoing battle between Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) and Hockey India (HI) for controlling Indian Hockey within a week.

Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium sought a week’s time to resolve the issue on which body should be allowed to represent Indian Hockey.

A bench of justices J M Panchal and H L Gokhale granted the government one week and adjourned the case.

The apex court was hearing the petition filed by Hockey India challenging the government decision revoking recognition to it for flouting guidelines relating to age and tenure of officials.

The Sports Ministry had earlier contended that HI was a ‘private body’ which could not be authorised to select the team for representing India.

The apex court in its earlier order had allowed HI to field the men’s and women’s teams for Commonwealth Games after IHF admitted that it was not affiliated to the International Hockey Federation ( FIH).

The apex court on August 17 last, in an interim order, had rejected Government’s claim and allowed Hockey India (HI) to send a women’s team to participate in the World Cup in Argentina.

The Delhi High Court had, on May 21, held that the HI was a private body and restrained it from holding election for its office bearers. However, the apex court had later allowed the conduct of election.