Roy calls for early Hockey India elections

KOLKATA: The President of the Bengal Hockey Association (BHA), J.B. Roy, has demanded early elections and restoration of democracy to run the affairs of Indian hockey.

Speaking on Wednesday, Mr. Roy said, “The hockey family is rather disappointed at the way things are shaping up to run the hockey affairs in India. It is time to restore order with fresh elections, with only stake holders in hockey given an opportunity to contest the elections,” he said.

After the erstwhile Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) was disaffiliated by the international body, FIH, the mantle to set the house in order fell on the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) headed by its president, Suresh Kalmadi. Mr. Roy said despite the IOA knowing full well that Hockey India needed an elected body to run the affairs, no effort had been made to bring about the change.

Mr. Roy said he had even met the Union Sports Minister, M.S. Gill, and requested him to intervene urgently.

As per the directive of the FIH and the IOA, the Women’s Hockey Association of Bengal merged with the BHA, thus becoming one of the early States to bring about the unification.

The BHA Secretary, Gurbux Singh, said the unified body would soon sit together and chalk out a programme for women hockey players of the State. — Special Correspondent