HI can send team to World Cup: SC

R Sedhuraman/Legal Correspondent

The Supreme Court today allowed Hockey India (HI) and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to send the Indian women’s hockey team to the World Cup to be held in Argentina from August 26.

A Bench comprising Justices RV Raveendran and HL Gokhale passed the order after rejecting the pleas of the Union Government and the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) that they should be allowed to select and send the team, not a private body like HI which stood de-recognised by the Centre.

The court observed that when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which was also a private body, could select the national cricket team for international events, there should not be any objection to such entities in other sports disciplines.

The Bench granted an hour’s time to the Centre to give in writing that the International Hockey Federation (FIH) would recognise its team for the World Cup. When the court took up the matter after one hour, the government admitted that it had no assurance so far from the FIH though it constantly remained in touch with the international body on the issue.

The apex court issued the directions on a petition filed by HI challenging the government order derecognising it. The Bench, however, clarified that allowing HI to send the team would not have any bearing on the HI petition.

“It is made clear that this order is not intended to accept the contentions of HI. This is only a temporary arrangement having regard to the fact that the team has to be sent on August 21,” the Bench said.

The court took note of the fact that the team selected by HI and IOA “are the same players who are also identified and selected by the Sports Authority of India” run by the government. It allowed HI secretary Narendra Batra to be impleaded as the second petitioner in the case.

During the arguments, senior counsel Indu Malhotra, appearing for IOA, the second respondent, said HI was the only body recognised by the FIH. However, the IHF said only it had government recognition.

Senior counsel Ashok Desai and Rohinton Nariman contended that the government’s de-recognition was in a way violation of the apex court’s July 30 order allowing HI to hold elections to the executive body. The SC had observed that HI election was necessary to enable HI to meet the FIH deadline so that India would be able to participate in international events such as the Commonwealth Games in October. The next hearing is on August 25.