India's field hockey teams on Tuesday faced the prospect of missing their own Commonwealth Games over a deadlock on who ran the sport in the country.
While the International Hockey Federation (FIH) has recognised Hockey India as the parent body, the sports ministry wants the revived Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) to take charge again.
The ministry's decision follows a court order last month that restored the IHF, two years after it was dissolved by the country's Olympic chiefs over bribery allegations and poor on-field results.
The Indian Olympic Association had sacked the IHF, led by decorated police official Kanwar Pal Singh Gill, in April 2008 and appointed a new body, Hockey India, to run the sport in the country.
But the Delhi High Court, ruling on a petition filed by Gill, set aside the government-backed dissolution order, saying a "new beginning" was required to revive hockey in India.
The government wrote to the world body last week to end its association with Hockey India and instead recognise the IHF, but FIH president Leandro Negre was not impressed.
"At the outset we reiterate that we have already recognised Hockey India as a recognised body for the management, control and promotion for hockey in India," Negre wrote to the ministry.
"In the circumstances and in the best interest of hockey in India, we would like to inform you that Hockey India is the only body that has been recognised by FIH."
Negre also said that only a team selected by Hockey India would be eligible to take part in the women's World Cup to be held in Argentina later this month.
The ministry shot off a letter to the FIH, urging it not to deal with Hockey India since it had no right to run the sport in the country.
"Hockey India has lost its national character and therefore cannot be allowed to select or field the national team anymore," ministry official Injeti Srinivas wrote to the FIH.
"Granting the status of a national sports federation is within the domain of the country concerned and the FIH should not get directly involved."
Unless the deadlock was broken soon, India could be banned from both the women's World Cup and the Commonwealth Games to be held in New Delhi from October 3-14.
Article 24(2) of the Games charter says that only those athletes or national federations that are not disqualified or suspended by the respective world body are eligible to compete.
"I hope the players do not suffer because of this mess," a hockey official said. "The need of the hour is a united body, but I don't know how that will happen."
India, once the masters of field hockey with eight Olympic titles, failed to qualify for the 2008 Beijing Olympics and finished eighth in the World Cup in New Delhi in March this year.
The FIH last month awarded the 2011 Champions Trophy to India following the success of the World Cup.
Showing posts with label Sports. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sports. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Friday, August 6, 2010
Mayookha pulls off the unthinkable
From the time she started to jump in 2002, Mayookha Johney dreamt of bettering Anju Bobby George's long jump record. Though she had given it a thought, Mayookha hadn't in her wildest dreams thought she would break Anju's not so often spoken about national record in triple jump. Call it a quirk of fate or a reflection on her talent, Mayookha entered an event she had not participated in the whole season. Yet, she won gold with a hop-skip and jump of 13.68m during the National Inter-State Athletics meet on Friday. "This is the first time I tried my luck in triple jump this season," said the lanky athlete from Kerala after bettering Anju's 13.67m record set at Hyderabad in 2002. Kulwinder Kaur of Punjab won silver with 13.42m while Prajusha won the bronze with a leap of 13.28m.
"The conditions were perfect," said Mayookha. "I could have jumped 13.70m. Anyway, I have now qualified for the Commonwealth Games as well."
Mayookha had won the long jump gold at the Asian All Star event in Delhi recently and is looking to break the long jump national record soon. She has paced the season well and is targetting the Commonwealth Games to peak. "That (long jump record) should come soon. All I need to do is focus on my training," said the 22-year-old. "Hopefully, during the Games I shall be able to better Anju's record," she said with a smile.
Dimri scorches track
If Mayookha could afford to smile, Pankaj Dimri had every reason to laugh. He might not have broken the three-decade-old 800m national record set by Sriram Singh, but ran the fastest 800m since the legendary athlete's effort at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal.
Dimri also set the meet record at 1:46.26s. The man from Uttaranchal felt he ran one of the best races of his life. "I am happy with my effort and happier still to qualify for the Commonwealth Games," he said. The qualification mark was set at 1:47.50s. Though he thought the CWG would be tough, he felt he had a good chance at the Asian Games if he maintained his current form.
"The conditions were perfect," said Mayookha. "I could have jumped 13.70m. Anyway, I have now qualified for the Commonwealth Games as well."
Mayookha had won the long jump gold at the Asian All Star event in Delhi recently and is looking to break the long jump national record soon. She has paced the season well and is targetting the Commonwealth Games to peak. "That (long jump record) should come soon. All I need to do is focus on my training," said the 22-year-old. "Hopefully, during the Games I shall be able to better Anju's record," she said with a smile.
Dimri scorches track
If Mayookha could afford to smile, Pankaj Dimri had every reason to laugh. He might not have broken the three-decade-old 800m national record set by Sriram Singh, but ran the fastest 800m since the legendary athlete's effort at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal.
Dimri also set the meet record at 1:46.26s. The man from Uttaranchal felt he ran one of the best races of his life. "I am happy with my effort and happier still to qualify for the Commonwealth Games," he said. The qualification mark was set at 1:47.50s. Though he thought the CWG would be tough, he felt he had a good chance at the Asian Games if he maintained his current form.
And now its the Handing over of CGW venues
There are some strange things happening in the build-up to the Commonwealth Games. This time it is the handing over of the stadiums by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) to the Commonwealth Games
Venues handed over
Other stadiums handed over by the Sports Authority of India on Friday
Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium
Cycling Velodrome
Wrestling Stadium
Gymnastics Stadium.
Still to be handed over
The SP Mukherjee Swimming Complex
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium
Yamuna Sports Complex will be handed over on August 9.
Organising Committee (OC), which has come under the scanner.
Weird as it may sound, the official handing over charge of a stadium and the one taking over is the same.
At the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Ranges in Tughlakhabad, which is one of the venues for the CWG, Manmeet Singh Goindi is the SAI administrator as well as the OC-appointed venue commander.
The awkwardness of this all has not gone down well with former Olympian and pistol shooter, Mohinder Lal, whose name was earlier proposed for the job by the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI).
Some two months ago, my name was proposed by the NRAI for the post of venue commander, but for reasons best known to the OC, I was sidelined and others chosen," Lal told HT.
Lal added he had the credentials to serve at the position. I'm not disappointed but do feel I have the credentials to give back to the sport which has given me so much."
Lal is a former world record holder in pistol shooting and also an Arjuna Awardee.
The former Olympian, who retired as DIG, BSF, is also a qualified International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) judge, while Goindi is a deputy director in SAI and does not have any such credentials in the field of shooting.
When HT reached Goindi for his comments, he said, I cannot do anything if I am the person representing both the organisations. Fortunately or unfortunately, I am the man chosen for both the jobs."
Another thing that has come to light is that none of the stadiums under SAI, which were handed over to the OC, including the Karni Singh Range, on Friday have clearance from the fire department.
Chief Fire Officer, Delhi Fire Service, RC Sharma, confirmed that none of the stadiums handed over by SAI on Friday had been issued fire-safety certificate. Barring the Thyagaraj and Chhatrasal stadiums (training venue), we have not given clearance to any of the venues as some work still needs to be completed," said Sharma.
A few days back, the competition manager for the Karni Singh Ranges, Avtar Singh Sethi, had told the Hindustan Times that here were 42 technical issues that still needed to be sorted out before NRAI could give its seal of approval to the Ranges. However, on Friday, Goindi said the Ranges were ready.
Venues handed over
Other stadiums handed over by the Sports Authority of India on Friday
Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium
Cycling Velodrome
Wrestling Stadium
Gymnastics Stadium.
Still to be handed over
The SP Mukherjee Swimming Complex
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium
Yamuna Sports Complex will be handed over on August 9.
Organising Committee (OC), which has come under the scanner.
Weird as it may sound, the official handing over charge of a stadium and the one taking over is the same.
At the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Ranges in Tughlakhabad, which is one of the venues for the CWG, Manmeet Singh Goindi is the SAI administrator as well as the OC-appointed venue commander.
The awkwardness of this all has not gone down well with former Olympian and pistol shooter, Mohinder Lal, whose name was earlier proposed for the job by the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI).
Some two months ago, my name was proposed by the NRAI for the post of venue commander, but for reasons best known to the OC, I was sidelined and others chosen," Lal told HT.
Lal added he had the credentials to serve at the position. I'm not disappointed but do feel I have the credentials to give back to the sport which has given me so much."
Lal is a former world record holder in pistol shooting and also an Arjuna Awardee.
The former Olympian, who retired as DIG, BSF, is also a qualified International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) judge, while Goindi is a deputy director in SAI and does not have any such credentials in the field of shooting.
When HT reached Goindi for his comments, he said, I cannot do anything if I am the person representing both the organisations. Fortunately or unfortunately, I am the man chosen for both the jobs."
Another thing that has come to light is that none of the stadiums under SAI, which were handed over to the OC, including the Karni Singh Range, on Friday have clearance from the fire department.
Chief Fire Officer, Delhi Fire Service, RC Sharma, confirmed that none of the stadiums handed over by SAI on Friday had been issued fire-safety certificate. Barring the Thyagaraj and Chhatrasal stadiums (training venue), we have not given clearance to any of the venues as some work still needs to be completed," said Sharma.
A few days back, the competition manager for the Karni Singh Ranges, Avtar Singh Sethi, had told the Hindustan Times that here were 42 technical issues that still needed to be sorted out before NRAI could give its seal of approval to the Ranges. However, on Friday, Goindi said the Ranges were ready.
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