New Delhi: The stand-off between Hockey India (HI) and Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) over power sharing is likely to end in the next few days after the Union government served the two warring bodies with an ultimatum on Saturday.
Sports minister Ajay Maken, who met representatives of HI and IHF at a meeting in the capital, asked the two factions to merge into a unified national body by Tuesday or to face action from the government.
Maken, however, did not specify what action would be taken if HI and IHF fail to abide by the government’s direction.
“We have given a balanced proposal to HI and IHF with equal importance to both the federations. We have given them time until Tuesday evening to send their responses in writing,” Maken said.
“If they don’t agree we will take action and also inform the Supreme Court as the matter is sub-judice,” he said.
“We are not taking sides... The government action would be in the larger interest of the game and in the larger interest of the country,” Maken insisted.
HI was represented at the meeting by secretary general Narinder Batra, vice president Pratap Satpathy, treasurer Mohammed Mushtaque Ahmed and associate vice president Rajeev Mehta, while IHF president RK Shetty and secretary Ashok Mathur were present.
Eager to settle the dispute, the government has proposed to nearly double the number of executive members in the unified body. While the number of executive members would be raised from 17 to 33, former IHF president KPS Gill would be made the life patron.
According to sources, Batra would retain his post of secretary general and a new president would be chosen in consultation with both the parties. The unified body would run till 2014, when the next HI elections are due.
Asked how confident he was of an amicable settlement , Maken said: “It is too premature to say anything but I feel they should accept the proposal.”
The functioning of Indian hockey has been severely hampered since 2009 when IHF was derecognised by Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and a new body, Hockey India (HI), was formed. While HI received the patronage of International Hockey Federation (FIH), IHF went to the court of law to fight their cause.
HI, after wresting control of Indian hockey, was successful in conducting the World Cup but could not hold a single junior tournament at the national level.
For the first time, India would also not be participating in the Junior Asia Cup beginning in Singapore from June 17.
To make it worse, the coach of the national team for London Olympics has not yet been named by HI.
Though the ministry has asked HI and IHF to join hands, the IOA seems to be unhappy with the development.
The interim IOA president Vijay Kumar Malhotra has already termed it as blatant interference on part of government and said IOA should have been involved in negotiations.
