Hockey dispute in India could see the loss of rights

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has rejected the settlement reached to govern the sport in India and has threatened to strip the country of its hosting rights to the Champions Trophy and Olympic qualifying tournaments.

This latest development in the saga with the International Federation expressing its “grave concern” over the announcement.

The two rival bodies which are Hockey India (HI) and the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF), store have signed a working agreement under the supervision of India’s Sports Ministry, bronchi setting up a unified executive board comprising four members from each side.

By endorsing the deal, abortion the Ministry had agreed to give Hockey India provisional affiliation through to the end of next December while continuing with the recognition granted to IHF.

Indian Olympic Association (IOA) acting president Vijay Kumar Malhotra last week rubbished the new truce as “a bizarre live-in relationship” and the FIH has now followed suit with a strongly worded statement.

According to its statutes and the Olympic charter a sport can only have on governing body and The IOA recognises HI to be the head of Hockey in India.

“In the meantime, the FIH executive board has decided that it is neither possible nor appropriate to continue with the discussions with HI to host tournaments in India over the next four year cycle, particularly the FIH Men’s Champions Trophy (December 2011), and the FIH Men’s & Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournaments (February 2012). The FIH greatly regrets this decision but feels that it is left with no alternative in the circumstances.”