IOA Acting President Vijay Kumar Malhotra unhappy with shifting of Champions Trophy – Hockey News
Vijay Kumar Malhotra, the Acting President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) was not happy over the decision of International Hockey Federation (FIH) which shifted the Champions Trophy from India to New Zealand.
He clarified that the FIH and IHO only recognised Hockey India as the federation to run the sports’ affairs in the country; therefore the argument of World’s hockey body was baseless and unjustified.
The FIH had withdrawn the Men’s Champions Trophy from India after the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) and Hockey India agreed under an interim agreement to run the sport jointly in the country.
Malhotra was of the opinion that he had explained the entire situation during his meeting with Leandro Negre, the FIH Chief and said that what reason for changing the venue of Champions Trophy when IOA and World’s governing body were on the same page.
He continued, “When we both are on the same path, you shouldn't have withdrawn the event. It was not right on their part to give the hosting rights to New Zealand. The reason given by FIH was totally wrong. I told them why you are engaging in talks with
the government when the National Olympics Committee does not deal with the government directly as it has its own separate charter.”
The Acting President of IOA informed that he had requested the FIH Chairman to reassess the decision for withdrawing the Champions Trophy; however no major development occurred and they lost the bid. Leonardo was of the opinion that it would be quite difficult
to reassess the withdrawing decision, as only a few weeks are left in the Champions Trophy.
Malhotra asked the FIH President to discuss the entire matter with members of the Executive Boards through e-mail that the reasons of withdrawal were not proved true thus they should re-examine the final verdict.
The IOA Vice President further informed that they would write a letter to the FIH as well as government that the association only recognised Hockey India as a solo sports body. He further explained that there should be only one federation to run the sports’
affairs in the country.
At the same time, Malhotra declared the IHF and HI responsible for the situation saying that the two did not bother to take IOA in confidence before making an agreement for jointly working together. He maintained that FIH was taken the decisions of withdrawal
after the Ministry of Sports had dispatched their statement regarding amalgamation of the two warring federations back in July.
However, Malhotra rejected the impression that the FIH could have taken off the hosting rights of the Olympic Qualifiers. He stated that the FIH President made him a promise that the decision would not affect the organisation of Olympic Qualifiers in the
country. He expressed these views quite surely that the qualifying tournament would be played in India.
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