Hockey Punjab gets affiliation

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 11

Hockey Punjab and Delhi, two powerful hockey units, were granted affiliation to Hockey India today to pave the way for the elections to the apex body, which has now been fixed for February 7.

The Hockey India elections were earlier fixed for January 29, but since the affiliated units needed to be given a 21-day notice, the elections have now been rescheduled for February 7.

Hockey Punjab secretary-general Pargat Singh was a very relieved man. “We are very happy that Hockey Punjab has been given affiliation to HI. We were asked to give some clarifications and we submitted them. HI was satisfied with our clarifications and granted us affiliation”, said Pargat.

But Madhya Pradesh’s case has been kept pending as the State unit has not yet got all its six bodies merged to form a single unit while Kerala was not granted affiliation due to a court case.

Hockey India presidnet A.K.Mattoo announced the election date and affiliation for the new members after a lengthy meeting of HI officials with International Hockey Federation (FIH) observer Antonio Von Ondarza, and Ministry of Sports appointed election observer S.K.Mendiratta here today.

“We were forced to shift the election date because of the dealy in giving the 21-day notice period (to the affiliate members). Moreover, Government observer S.K.Mendiratta will not be in town from February 2 to 6”, explained Mattoo, for fixing February 7 as the election date.

The meeting of the HI officials with the FIH and Government observers covered the Government directive for the election process.

“We have made substantial progress today. The documentation for the election is ready for the FIH and Government observers to study”, said Matoo.

He said the meeting analysed the Government letter in which “they have laid down some procedures to be followed during the elections”, which got the nod of Ondarza as well.

“I am very pleased with the meeting. We have made a big advance as far as the Hockey India elections are concerned. The FIH is very happy to know that at least we have come to a solution”, Ondarza added.