Confusion persists over Hockey India’s existence

In july 2008, the Indian Olympic Association and the ad hoc committee agreed to set up Hockey India, a body merging the Indian Hockey Federation and Indian Women' Hockey Federation to run the sport, reports B Shrikant.

In july 2008, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and the ad hoc committee agreed to set up Hockey India, a body merging the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) and Indian Women' Hockey Federation (IWHF) to run the sport. The IOA was to conduct elections and hand over charge to Hockey India. Six months later, Hockey India has yet to materialise and no one is sure when it will.

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The IOA had promised the international hockey federation (FIH) that it would grant provisional affiliation to the Indian Hockey Confederation (IHC) as the sport's governing body in the country and help set up Hockey India, which will take over from IHC.

But the IWHF and ad hoc committee are still functioning as independent bodies as are the state units affiliated to them. In all other countries, the men and women's associations have merged and are governed by one body.

None of the stakeholders — the IOA, the ad hoc committee and IWHF — are sure when Hockey India will come into existence and each had a different take on this. "We have cleared the path for Hockey India. Its constitution was sent to the international federation and we are incorporating its suggestions. The body should be registered in a few days," said a senior IOA official on condition of anonymity, mentioning that Mohd Aslam Khan, convener of ad hoc committee, would be the right person to divulge details. However, Khan said nothing much has happened and both bodies are functioning independently like before. He said Hockey India is far from coming into existence in "a week's time" as the IOA official claimed.

Contacted on Tuesday, IWHF secretary Amrit Bose said they are still doing the groundwork. "After the July 2008 meeting, we (the IWHF and ad hoc committee) met during the FIH Congress in Los Angeles and took the discussion further. The IOA will call a meeting of both bodies soon for a discussion on setting up of Hockey India," Bose said.

Going by her statement, even after six months, everyone seems to be discussing and meeting to discuss more.