Hockey association plea to stay tournament

The Maharashtra Hockey Association has filed a civil suit against Maharashtra Hockey, claiming that it is the only legal body for hockey in the state. It has also sought a stay on the first junior national championships, to be organised by Maharashtra Hockey at Shiv Chhatrapati Shivaji Sports Complex in Balewadi from December 11 to 22, in which 26 states are expected to participate.

The court of joint civil judge P K Deshpande, in which association president Victor Ellis and general secretary Ikram Khan filed the petition, has asked respondents—MH president Rekha G Bhide and secretary Cdr (Rtd) Kehar Singh—to file their version on Thursday.

Ellis and Khan said in the petition that MHA is the state-level apex body at the national level and is affiliated to Hockey India. They submitted that there were certain disputes among the state hockey associations affiliated to Hockey India, following which a joint meeting of Hockey India and Federation of International Hockey was held on January 11, 2010 and the MHA approved as the legal state unit.