Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Hockey India has called an emergency Executive Board meeting on September 18 as the federation looks to resolve the differences among its top officials following a series of controversies in recent weeks.
The meeting, to be held at the Hockey India office in New Delhi, has been called by secretary Bhola Nath Singh on the direction of president Dilip Tirkey. The rift between the two officials came into the open following the controversy over the change in the colour of the Indian teams’ jerseys from blue to saffron ahead of the recently concluded FIH World Cup.
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Tirkey had said that the change was made without his knowledge and without the approval of the Hockey India Executive Board. He subsequently issued a show-cause notice to Hockey India Director General Cdr R K Srivastava and stripped him of his powers with immediate effect.
The notice listed eight charges against Srivastava, with the jersey controversy among the key issues. Srivastava has been given four weeks to respond.
Bhola Nath’s email to the Executive Board members, a copy of which is with PTI, said the 119th Executive Board meeting will be held at 3pm on September 18.
RESTRUCTURING OF HOCKEY INDIA LEAGUE
One of the most important items on the agenda will be the future of the Hockey India League, which has struggled amid disagreements over its administration.
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya met Tirkey and HIL franchise owners on Monday and asked them to prepare a roadmap for the men’s and women’s leagues. A five-member panel has been tasked with working on a proposed governance and financial model.
Franchise owners have also pushed for a greater role in the running of the league, with dissatisfaction over the way the competition has been managed by Hockey India.
The proposal being discussed includes turning the HIL into a joint venture between Hockey India and the franchise owners. The plan calls for a separate company, HIL Pvt Ltd, with Hockey India holding 40 per cent equity and the franchises collectively holding the remaining 60 per cent.
Another proposal is to create a new Governing Council for the league. It would have a chairman and two members from Hockey India, along with two representatives from each franchise, and would oversee the administration of the HIL.
The restructuring of the league could therefore be one of the biggest decisions to emerge from the September 18 meeting.
ELECTIONS ALSO ON AGENDA
The Executive Board will also discuss the Hockey India elections, including the appointment of an Electoral Officer to oversee the process.
The meeting will also consider and approve the federation’s balance sheet and income and expenditure accounts for the 2025-26 financial year.
The hosting of this year’s men’s and women’s Asian Champions Trophy will also come up for discussion. Punjab’s Jalandhar and Mohali, along with Bhopal, are among the venues being considered for the tournaments.
Tirkey’s action against Srivastava will also be formally placed before the Executive Board. The notice includes an allegation that privileged and confidential Hockey India information and records were leaked to the public through the media and social media.
The September 18 meeting will therefore bring several of Hockey India’s unresolved issues to the same table, with the federation facing pressure to settle its internal differences while also finding a workable structure for its domestic league.
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
