Formal hockey set-up to be in place soon: IOA

IOA General Secretary Randhir Singh said on Thursday that the ad-hoc committee was not here to control the game but just an “interim” arrangement to run the hockey affairs in the country.

“We will soon hold the elections, maybe within next 3-4 months to have a formal body to run the hockey affairs,” Randhir said.

“We are not here to control the game, we are not power hungry. The ad-hoc committee is just an interim arrangement to help the sport in need,” he said.

“The IOA have already arranged a meeting with the state associations wherein it would discuss all the future plans and events with them,” he added.

Asked if the state associations were ignoring the ad-hoc committee, Randhir said there was no substance in such talks.

“I have read some reports which have hinted on something like this but there is absolutely no truth in them,” he said.

Randhir also praised the state associations like the Bengal Hockey Association for organising a seminar at a time when it was required to lift the game in the country.

“We are all happy that hockey seminars and brain-storming sessions are being organised by the state associations like Bengal’s. It’s very important in the current scenario,” he said.

“All of us, including Suresh (Kalmadi) and myself in the ad-hoc committee have also been invited and as and when we get the time we are surely going to attend it,” he insisted referring to the seminar on future of hockey to be held in Amby Valley in Mumbai on September 9.