The Supreme Court on Friday permitted the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and Hockey India (HI) to select the men's and women's hockey teams in the upcoming Asian Games in China.
A Bench comprising Justices RV Raveendran and HL Gokhle said its interim orders passed on August 25 and 27, allowing HI and IOA for selecting teams for the Commonwealth Games, would continue for next month's Asian Games in Guangzhou.
The order for the selection of teams for the Asian Games is based on the same fact and circumstances as was prevailing when the issue had reached the apex court in August before Women's World Cup hockey in Germany and the Commonwealth Games.
The order was passed by the Bench after HI's rival, Indian Hockey Federation, had admitted that it was not affiliated to the international hockey federation (FIH).
IOA also had said that it recognises only HI as the national federation. The IOA had submitted before the court that being an apex body of the sports, it considers the suggestion of the respective associations and federations affiliated with it for the selection of teams.
The court maintained its previous order in which it had noted that every body agrees including HI, the Sports Authority of India and IOA that the team would be selected by the national selection committee, which comprises former players like Zafar Iqbal, Ajit Pal Singh, Govinda and Balbir Singh.
{{/usCountry}}The court maintained its previous order in which it had noted that every body agrees including HI, the Sports Authority of India and IOA that the team would be selected by the national selection committee, which comprises former players like Zafar Iqbal, Ajit Pal Singh, Govinda and Balbir Singh.
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