IWHF hopeful of merger with IHF

NEW DELHI: The Indian Women’s Hockey Federation (IWHF) has expressed confidence that it would be able to form a merged body of men and women soon along with the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF).

IWHF Secretary-General Amrit Bose on Saturday slammed Hockey India (HI) for its undemocratic functioning and stressed the formation of a “proper hockey body.”

Addressing a press conference after a special general body meeting (SGM) of the IWHF, Mrs. Bose said a five-member sub-committee of the IWHF would hold negotiations with a similar panel of the IHF to chalk out the modalities of the merger.

“I have completed 12 years and as per Government guidelines I will not fight any elections. But, I am in favour of giving the women their rights. They should not be sidelined in the process (of merger),” said Mrs Bose, while criticising HI’s “faulty procedures” in granting affiliations to state associations.

She said the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) should “change its attitude” and help form a unified hockey body in a democratic way. Mrs. Bose, who claimed the presence of 22 units in the SGM (which was also attended by Government observer P. Bhattacharjee), said first the merger would be held at the National level and later at the state level (as per the status of the units in 2008).

Mrs. Bose, however, said she did not have any reservations in talking to HI. “But why do not they come to us?” she said.

The IWHF rejected its President Vidya Stokes’s claim that she had given her consent for the merger of the women’s body with HI. “Mrs. Stokes never sought permission from the general house, she did not have the authority to take such a decision,” Mrs. Bose said.

The IWHF would write to the Union Sports Ministry to restore its status and authorise it to run women’s hockey in the country until an elected and unified body took over. It is also planning to hold various National championships in August and September. — Sports Reporter