Different bodies associated with Indian hockey have continued to adopt varying stands even as the Supreme Court has given the go-ahead to Hockey India to hold its elections.
At a meeting convened by the Union Sports Ministry on the advice of the Delhi High Court to solve the hockey impasse here last Friday, the parties generally agreed that there had to be a dialogue, though no formula was suggested to resolve the deadlock.
The meeting, chaired by Secretary, Sports, Sindhushree Khullar, was attended by representatives of the Indian Olympic Association, Indian Hockey Federation (IHF), Hockey India (HI) and the Indian Women's Hockey Federation (IWHF) apart from officers of the ministry.
At the meeting, the Joint Secretary, Sports, Injeti Srinivas, told Hockey India that the recognition granted to HI was up to the end of this year subject to it meeting certain conditions. He made it clear that a Government-recognised National federation had to function as a public body and subject itself to public accountability.
Mr. Srinivas further stated that the stand taken by HI in court made it liable to lose Government recognition. The Government had no option but to write to all member units of HI that the federation's stand would deprive it of Government recognition and all concessions and privileges which flow out of it. It was further stated that all the voters must be aware of these facts before they decided which way to go.
It was also clarified that Hockey India would not be able to revert its status to a National federation after holding elections as a private body.
The Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) President, K.P.S. Gill, is learnt to have taken a pragmatic stand that the way forward could not be through litigations but only through talks.
Mr. Gill, however, was critical of the role played by the FIH in recent months and wanted all to resist excessive interference from the international federation.
He stated that the FIH Vice-President (Antonio Ondarza) had said that the FIH did not consider it necessary for HI to have government recognition since it had the FIH and IOA recognition.
Mr. Gill wanted the Government to make it clear to the FIH that only a body recognised by the Government would have the status of a National federation and the right to hold international tournaments in India.
National pride
He wanted India to preserve its National pride even at the cost of FIH sanctions that could mean a ban from FIH-recognised events.
Mr. Gill as well as IWHF officials, Mrs A. Ram and Mrs. Armit Bose, were of the opinion that the Indian Hockey Confederation (IHC), a body formed earlier to unify men's and women's federations, met the requirement of the FIH constitution.
The IWHF officials, who argued that the May 21 order of the Delhi High Court had meant the resurrection of IHC, pointed out what they alleged were instances of manipulation by HI in the voters' list for elections.
Hockey India Secretary-General Narinder Batra questioned the validity of the IHF, IWHF and IHC. He told the meeting that there was no manipulation of the voters' list as alleged.
Mr. Batra said HI would hold the elections soon and after the elections the body would be willing to be part of any committee to be set up to resolve the issue.
The IOA, represented by its Secretary-General, Randhir Singh, maintained that the HI and the IOA would study the legal implications before giving detailed comments.
The IOA also informed that it had complied with the order of the Delhi High Court and intimated the FIH about the order of the court.
The Supreme Court has since vacated the stay granted by the Delhi and Bombay High Courts against the holding of elections.
Ms. Khullar said the next meeting would be held after receiving written comments from the IOA.
