No question of recognising IHF again, says FIH official

New Delhi, Aug 7 (IANS) International Hockey Federation (FIH) vice-president Antonio Von Ondarza said Saturday that the international body will only recognise Hockey India (HI) as the custodian of the sport in the country and not the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF)as decreed by the Indian sports ministry.

Speaking to IANS from Monchengladbach in Germany, Ondarza said the FIH will stick with HI come what may and there was no question of recognising IHF which was derecognised in 2000 after it failed to merge with the women’s federation as per FIH’s rule of country one federation.

‘We will continue to recognise HI as the official body of the sport in India. We recognise it as it is also affiliated to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). There is no question of recognising IHF again,’ said Ondarza, who was here to oversee the HI elections Thursday.

The sports ministry has asked FIH to recognise the K.P.S. Gill-led IHF as the sole governing body of the sport and asked the world body to follow suit.

The sports ministry’s decision came a day after it withdrew provisional recognition of HI for not holding the election as per the government guidelines.

The ministry, in its letter to FIH president Leandro Negre, said: ‘The Government has derecognised Hockey India by a speaking order on August 5, 2010, a copy of which has been endorsed to you. As such, HI is no more the recognised National Sport Federation (NSF) for management, control and promotion of hockey in the country, and is also not authorised to select and field the national team in international competitions.

‘In view of this development, the IHF stands recognised by the government as the sole NSF in India in the light of the judgement dated 21.05.2010 of the Hon’ble High Court of Delhi in a writ petition, which has also been accepted by Indian Olympic Association (IOA) as well as the HI before the Hon’ble High Court of Delhi.’

IHF was disaffiliated by the IOA in April 2008 and Gill was sacked following a cash-for-selection scam.

The Delhi High Court last month lifted the suspension and asked IOA and the ministry to recognise IHF as the sole authority for running the sport in the country.