NEW DELHI: The Champions Trophy hockey tournament has been moved out of the country with the world body (FIH) saying it is unhappy with the sport being run by two bodies - Hockey India and Indian Hockey Federation - in India.
"We regret that we have to move the Champions Trophy from India," FIH president Leandro Negre said in a release on Tuesday, adding the dates for the tournament would not change. "It is difficult for teams, organisers and the fans. But we feel that this is the only way to maintain the integrity of our sport."
The release added: "At issue is the governance structure of the sport of hockey in India. It is a fundamental and non-negotiable requirement of the Olympic Charter and the FIH Statutes that there should only be one governing body for any one sport in any country."
The dates (Dec 3-11) will be the same but the schedule and line-up of the Champions Trophy will be determined when the host is announced, the FIH said.
As such, India will lose their automatic berth in the eight-nation competition. To qualify for the tournament, they have now been asked to take part in the Champions Challenge in South Africa in November.
Interestingly, however, Negre did not commit himself anything further when contacted by TOI. He ducked questions about the new venue for the event, although the FIH website had changed the venue status of Champions Trophy from New Delhi to TBA (to be announced) and had officially asked New Zealand to be on standby at least two weeks ago.
Instead, the Spaniard restricted himself to just one statement: "I will speak to you only after I discuss the matter with the sports minister (Ajay Maken) next week."
This gives rise to the question: Has the event really been moved out of India? This was surely on the minds of those who have read between the lines of FIH's press statement.
Money on mind
The point is that if the decision to shift the tournament out of India has already been made, what role could Maken possibly play? Also, why didn't FIH announce the new venue immediately? Why did it choose to give itself a week before arriving at a consensus? Obviously, the nub of the argument lies elsewhere with the meeting next Tuesday being critical to FIH's subsequent steps.
While the talks will revolve around the contentious working relationship between HI and IHF, sources said that FIH top brass will be in the country to seek financial assurances from the government and voice their angst about the way things have progressed on the sponsors' front for the Champions Trophy.
Sources indicate that FIH, which struck gold during the 2010 World Cup in New Delhi, thanks to a hefty sponsorship, is still to get $500,000 from the deal. Apparently, the issue is stuck in the Reserve Bank of India chambers.
Besides this niggle, the absence of a title sponsor for the Champions Trophy and the delay in the payment of hosting fee of the Champions Trophy had them harbouring thoughts of moving the tournament away from India, informed sources said. Maken, who confirmed he would meet Negre next Tuesday, too hinted that 'financial' concerns could be behind the decision.
"The administrative concerns of FIH can be addressed but there might be some financial considerations behind this decision as well," he added. Meanwhile, officials said they would be keen to help FIH get the final installment of the money released from RBI if the world body requested them to do so.
'Arm-twisting tactics'
"But moving the tournament out of the country, citing the HI-IHF arrangement is nothing short of arm-twisting. We had explained to them last month that the arrangement is for a limited period of time. Also, this arrangement will be valid only after the government grants provisional recognition to HI as an NSF. That hasn't happened yet," sources told TOI.
The FIH decision was first conveyed to sports minister Ajay Maken on Monday. In a related correspondence, the federation also stated that Negre will land in New Delhi on September 13 for what are deemed to be crucial talks with Hockey India and the ministry.
The FIH had in July threatened to move the Champions Trophy and the Olympic qualifiers out of the country. "We told them HI would continue to fulfill all obligations to FIH, including fielding national teams. So where is the problem?" source asked.
At this point, another priority for the ministry would be to ensure that the Olympic qualifier slated in New Delhi in February goes ahead as per schedule.
"FIH had given five major tournaments to India and Champions Trophy was one of those. I will try to convince Negre not to take away the other four," Maken said.
"We regret that we have to move the Champions Trophy from India," FIH president Leandro Negre said in a release on Tuesday, adding the dates for the tournament would not change. "It is difficult for teams, organisers and the fans. But we feel that this is the only way to maintain the integrity of our sport."
The release added: "At issue is the governance structure of the sport of hockey in India. It is a fundamental and non-negotiable requirement of the Olympic Charter and the FIH Statutes that there should only be one governing body for any one sport in any country."
The dates (Dec 3-11) will be the same but the schedule and line-up of the Champions Trophy will be determined when the host is announced, the FIH said.
As such, India will lose their automatic berth in the eight-nation competition. To qualify for the tournament, they have now been asked to take part in the Champions Challenge in South Africa in November.
Interestingly, however, Negre did not commit himself anything further when contacted by TOI. He ducked questions about the new venue for the event, although the FIH website had changed the venue status of Champions Trophy from New Delhi to TBA (to be announced) and had officially asked New Zealand to be on standby at least two weeks ago.
Instead, the Spaniard restricted himself to just one statement: "I will speak to you only after I discuss the matter with the sports minister (Ajay Maken) next week."
This gives rise to the question: Has the event really been moved out of India? This was surely on the minds of those who have read between the lines of FIH's press statement.
Money on mind
The point is that if the decision to shift the tournament out of India has already been made, what role could Maken possibly play? Also, why didn't FIH announce the new venue immediately? Why did it choose to give itself a week before arriving at a consensus? Obviously, the nub of the argument lies elsewhere with the meeting next Tuesday being critical to FIH's subsequent steps.
While the talks will revolve around the contentious working relationship between HI and IHF, sources said that FIH top brass will be in the country to seek financial assurances from the government and voice their angst about the way things have progressed on the sponsors' front for the Champions Trophy.
Sources indicate that FIH, which struck gold during the 2010 World Cup in New Delhi, thanks to a hefty sponsorship, is still to get $500,000 from the deal. Apparently, the issue is stuck in the Reserve Bank of India chambers.
Besides this niggle, the absence of a title sponsor for the Champions Trophy and the delay in the payment of hosting fee of the Champions Trophy had them harbouring thoughts of moving the tournament away from India, informed sources said. Maken, who confirmed he would meet Negre next Tuesday, too hinted that 'financial' concerns could be behind the decision.
"The administrative concerns of FIH can be addressed but there might be some financial considerations behind this decision as well," he added. Meanwhile, officials said they would be keen to help FIH get the final installment of the money released from RBI if the world body requested them to do so.
'Arm-twisting tactics'
"But moving the tournament out of the country, citing the HI-IHF arrangement is nothing short of arm-twisting. We had explained to them last month that the arrangement is for a limited period of time. Also, this arrangement will be valid only after the government grants provisional recognition to HI as an NSF. That hasn't happened yet," sources told TOI.
The FIH decision was first conveyed to sports minister Ajay Maken on Monday. In a related correspondence, the federation also stated that Negre will land in New Delhi on September 13 for what are deemed to be crucial talks with Hockey India and the ministry.
The FIH had in July threatened to move the Champions Trophy and the Olympic qualifiers out of the country. "We told them HI would continue to fulfill all obligations to FIH, including fielding national teams. So where is the problem?" source asked.
At this point, another priority for the ministry would be to ensure that the Olympic qualifier slated in New Delhi in February goes ahead as per schedule.
"FIH had given five major tournaments to India and Champions Trophy was one of those. I will try to convince Negre not to take away the other four," Maken said.
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