IWHF says it is initiating “merger” process with IHF

NEW DELHI: The Indian Women’s Hockey Federation (IWHF) on Saturday claimed that it is back in business and has initiated the process of merger with the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) to form a “democratically elected” body.

Questioning the existence of Hockey India (HI), IWHF secretary Amrit Bose demanded the reinstatement of the IHF and the federation controlled by her as 21 state units attended Saturday’s Special Annual General Meeting (SAGM), making it two thirds of the federation strength.

Interestingly, Bose announced that the IWHF is in full agreement of the government guidelines for sports bodies, fixing tenure of office bearers, and that she would not be a candidate for any post in the unified federation.

“My days are over and my job now is to mentor and groom younger generation,” Bose said.

Bose’s grouse against HI is that it has completely sidelined the women during the merger.

“The HI affiliation committee kept changing, adding new members of their choice. As a member of the committee, I protested and they threw me out. The women from the merged state units were not given representation in HI. You cannot throw us (women) just like that, we have every right to be in the national federation,” said Bose.

IWHF sprang to life after the Delhi High Court quashed the suspension of the IHF by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).

She said IWHF will hold the sub-junior, junior, and senior nationals in August-September.

“We have also written to the sports ministry to restore our status and allow us to function from our previous office. They have sent an observer for this meeting and we are hopeful that the government will hear us out.”

“We have to think about the players. They are very disappointed. There has been no activity on the ground in the last couple of years since HI has taken over.”

Bose said the IWHF has formed a three-member sub-committee which will talk with IHF the process of merger of two federations.

“The IHF has also formed a five-member committee and we will be meeting shortly to formulate our policy for merger at the top level and later at the state level. We will soon hold the elections and give shape to a constitutional and democratic federation.”

Bose contested IWHF president Vidya Stokes’s claim that the women’s federation has been merged with HI.

“What merger is she talking about when HI has repeatedly failed to hold election. And she never consulted any IWHF member before giving the permission of the merger of the IWHF with HI.”

“The IWHF members today unanimously condemned the procedural lapses committed by the IOA in disaffiliating the IWHF and also the action of the IWHF president in showing undue haste in getting it disaffiliated without getting the approval of the general body.”