HI a private body: High Court

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday termed Hockey as a private body while questioning its authority to govern the sport in the country.

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday termed Hockey as a private body while questioning its authority to govern the sport in the country. The court also directed both the Sports Ministry to distance itself from HIs proposed elections on Wednesday. Following this the ministry issued a clarification,withdrawing its observer SK Mendiratta from the election process. However Hockey India,in an apparent challenge to the court ruling,decided to go ahead with the elections in the presence of FIH observer Antonio van Ondarza.

Stating that the KPS Gill-led Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) was the only recognised body for the sport in the country,Justice Dr S Muralidhar said,The July 28 elections would go on only when the clarification is made by the government and the HI. If they dont issue a clarification,the election will not go on.

The court had,in an earlier judgment,restored the IHFs recognition by the ministry and the IOA. Slamming the Sports Ministry for not taking steps to clear the confusion in the governing of hockey in the country despite its observation,Justice Muralidhar wanted to know how the government could appoint an election observer for a body that was only a private organization.

If the government has not recognised you (HI),then why is it allowing you to conduct elections? The government should not be involved in the election of a private body, it said,adding,A message should go to all the state units that there is only one recognised federation and that is the IHF.

Sports Ministry officials once again found themselves in a fix. It is easy to say that the ministry is fence-sitting. But our hands are tied. If the ministry pronounces IHF as the sole body,there cant be an Indian team at the important upcoming events,since FIH only recognizes HI. If it agrees to go with the FIH view,it can be held for contempt of court. There is no way out at present, admitted a ministry official.

Meanwhile,former India captain Pargat Singh,who is contesting for the post of president at the Hockey India elections,admitted that the latest court directive has changed things.

Yes,I admit the HI elections have been devalued. But the fact is that the HI is recognized by the international body (FIH) and its observer will also be present during the elections. Also,the FIH had said that the Indian team would not be allowed to participate in the womens World Cup (in August) or the Commonwealth or Asian Games later in the year if HI elections were not held by July 31, Pargat told The Indian Express.