Hockey India and IHF agree to work together

New Delhi:  Faced with an ultimatum to merge or face consequences, the warring Hockey India and Indian Hockey Federation today agreed to work together under a temporary arrangement, without forming a unified body. After a marathon eight and half hour-long meeting among HI, IHF and Sports Ministry officials, it was agreed that the two bodies will work under an arrangement which will continue till December 2012. However, there was no merger between the two bodies. [caption id=“attachment_47974” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“It was agreed that the two bodies will work under an arrangement which will continue till December 2012. B Mathur/Reuters”]  [/caption] In what is being interpreted as a breakthrough of sorts, the two factions agreed to jointly work on four aspects — organising National Championships, preparation of national teams and selection of national teams and participation in international tournaments. Under the arrangement, there will be a joint Executive Committee of 39 members and a joint Working Committee of eight members which will take the final decision. HI will have 20 members in the 39-member Executive Committee while the remaining 19 will be from the IHF. “The decisions will be taken by the Working Committee which will have eight members — four each from HI and IHF. There will be a chairman and co-chairman of the working committee, one each from HI and IHF. The chairman and the co-chairman will have equal powers,” HI’s General Secretary Narendra Batra said. Since HI is the recognised body by the International Hockey Federation (FIH), it will be responsible for any communication to the world body after a decision is taken by the joint Working Committee. PTI