IHF holds AGM; Gill chalks out strategies against Hockey India

NEW DELHI: The disbanded Indian Hockey Federation on Sunday held its Annual General Body meeting with its chief KPS Gill drawing strategies to resurrect the body and announced that it would host the nationals in June-July.

“We kept quite till date and tried to help but the Indian Olympic Association’s stand keeps changing everyday. It is a disgrace to the game. We will revive IHF and had our AGM today.

“We have decided to hold the nationals in June-July this year. We will start with the zonal matches. Two teams from each zone will qualify and finals will be held in Delhi,” Gill told reporters after the meeting.

Gill said the game’s world body FIH had committed a breach of trust by terminating its previous deal with Indian Hockey Confederation and signing a new contract with the IOA.

“FIH had signed a contract with the Indian Hockey Confederation for the World Cup which was terminated on June 30, 2008 without any reason and immediately in August, IOA signed a fresh contract in Hyderabad, which is a breach of trust,” he said.

Gill also accused the HI of mismanagement of funds during the World Cup in the capital.

“We held Asia Cup in July 2007 in Chennai and it had cost us Rs 87 lakhs. Now with the same number of teams, officials and almost everything same, Hockey India organised the World Cup. Reports said it cost Rs 15 crores.

“We have asked for details by RTI. I have grave doubts if these details will ever be provided,” Gill said.

IHF was dissolved by the IOA in 2008 after a bribery scandal involving the then IHF Secretary K Jyothikumaran hit the body.

IOA then appointed an ad-hoc committee to run the hockey affairs in the country and later men’s as well as women’s associations were merged together to form the Hockey India.

However, a democratically elected body is yet to be formed.