HC sets aside Centre's decision to de-recognise IHF

The Delhi High Court today quashed the Centre's 2008 order of de-recognising Indian Hockey Federation after its secretary K Jothikumaran was caught on camera in a sting operation accepting bribe to select a player.

The Delhi High Court today quashed the Centre's 2008 order of de-recognising Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) after its secretary K Jothikumaran was caught on camera in a sting operation accepting bribe to select a player.

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Justice S Murldihar set aside the Centre's decision to de-recognise IHF and the Indian Olympic Association's (IOA) de-affiliation of the hockey federation after the sting operation was aired by a news channel.

The court passed the order on a petition filed by KPS Gill who had been heading the Federation at the time.

The court also imposed a cost of Rs 10,000 each on the Ministry of Sports and Youth affairs and Indian Olympic Association.

"The decision dated 28th April 2008 of the IOA placing the IHF under suspension and the decision dated 10th May 2009 of the IOA disaffiliating the IHF are hereby quashed.

"The decision dated 12th May 2008 passed by the Ministry temporarily withdrawing the recognition of the IHF and the subsequent order dated 10th/11th August 2009 passed by the Ministry derecognising the IHF are also hereby quashed," the court said.

The court said that sports bodies should be given autonomy to function.

"Sports bodies have to have a degree of autonomy with the government playing the role of an effective regulator. They must be allowed to function in a democratic manner with persons really interested in developing the game participating in its affairs," the court said.

"The knee-jerk reaction to losses at international events, which are inevitable in competitive events, and looking for persons to blame, cannot be conducive to a healthy development of any national sport. For a proper enquiry into the problems besetting Indian hockey the cloud of suspension. over the IHF should be lifted. The past should be put behind and a new beginning made," the court said.