Hockey Perspectives

‘Delhi High Court Ruling Will Benefit Indian Hockey in the Long Run’

There is a general feeling all around that corrective measures Hockey India needed to undertake as a national sports federation has well and truly begun, with the Delhi High Court recent ruling that the position of Life Member and Life President were “illegal” since they were not in consonance with the National Sports Code. The Delhi High Court has put in place a high-powered three-member Committee of Administrators (CoA) – former Supreme Cour judge Justice Anil R Dave, former Chief Election Commissioner SY Qureshi, and former Indian captain and Olympian Zafar Iqbal to run the day-to-day affairs of Hockey India.

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It does not a rocket scientist to fathom that not everything was hunky-dory in Hockey India although one cannot brush aside the fact Batra did his bit for the betterment of Indian hockey. There was a general line of thought that despite the IOA President and FIH President, he was always showing ‘interest’ in the affairs of Hockey India. The Delhi High Court delivered the ruling while hearing a petition filed by former Indian hockey fullback and a member of India’s 1975 World Cup-winning team, Aslam Sher Khan, who had challenged Batra’s appointment as life member of Hockey India.

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“This is a landmark judgement by the Delhi High Court and is a telling statement of how inappropriately the affairs of Hockey India were run. There has been blatant fund misuse. Hockey India CEO Elena Norman was enjoying executive, secretary general, and president powers,” says Aslam Sher Khan in a chat with Hockey Passion.

The former defender has no doubts that the three-member Committee of Administrators (CoA) will bring more accountability in Hockey India and benefit the country’s hockey in the long run. “I’m optimistic about the future. Indian hockey will hugely benefit in the long run,” he says.

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Of course, the larger objective of the three-member Committee of Administrators (CoA) is to hire a professional to run Hockey India, correct the HI constitution and put it in line with the National Sports Code and subsequently hold fair elections and hand over the reins of HI to the newly elected, democratic body. One hopes that the ruling by the Delhi High Court would drive more transparency and accountability in Hockey India, and more importantly, have people with integrity run the sport.

5 thoughts on “‘Delhi High Court Ruling Will Benefit Indian Hockey in the Long Run’

  • Aftab ahmad

    ASLAM SHER KHAN. have deserve responsibility of hocky india.

  • Dr. Gurdeep Singh, D. Litt. President, Premier Academy of Sports Science and Physical Education (India) and Member, International Council of Sports Science and Physical Education, Berlin (Germany).

    1. Faire election of office-bearers of National Sports Federations is more important than transparent selection of talented Indian sportspersons, in pursuit of excellence for displaying peak performance at global sporting events- Olympic Games and World Championships etc.

    2. Unfortunately, most of National Sports Federations in Indian sporting system are being treated/used as personal fiefdoms for fulfillment of vested interests, by businessmen, industrialists and politicians, at the cost of public money and national resources. Hence, a lousy monitoring system (SAI) put in place, needs to tighten the noose around the neck of self-styled bosses of various National Sports Federations, making them fully accountable to the “People and Parliament” if the concerned sports bodies fail to perform to potential of the nation at global sporting events- Olympic Games and World Championships.

    3. Hopefully, the recent judgement of the hon’ble High Court of Delhi being an exceptional landmark in the history of Indian sports, on account of gross violation of National Sports Development Code2011, is expected to go a long way in the process of promoting the culture of excellence in competitive sports, enabling India to emerge as a powerful sporting nation in the next decade, otherwise hard earned money of the “honest tax-payers” is bound to go down the drain. Hats off to the hon’ble High Court of Delhi for taking such a “daring and caring” judgement, with a view to give a timely boost to the Indian sports, at the right time for a right cause. It will definitely work as a light at the end of a long tunnel.

    4. Therefore, this remarkable development will be remembered for ever by “Lovers of the Game and Losers of the Game” as well. Finally, law of the land being supreme prevailed, to deliver justice to all the stake-holders and innocent victims of such nefarious designs.

    5. In the end, we sincerely pray that God bless the Indian Judiciary for being alive and alert, for feeling the pulse of the public and saving image of the nation, by prescribing an effective “Remedy for Malady” afflicting Indian hockey. Long live Indian Judiciary and Indian sports. Kind regards.

  • G.Mohammed Ismail

    Good articles

  • Nafees khan Khan

    GREAT DEFENDER OF HOCKEY NOT ONLY IN THE FIELD ALSO OUTSIDE SINCE MORE THAN 50 YEARS

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