NEW DELHI: Veteran sports administrator Narinder Batra on Monday resigned as president of International Hockey Federation (FIH) with immediate effect and also gave up his membership of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
In three separate letters, Batra officially tendered his resignations from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), IOC and FIH respectively.
“Due to personal reasons I submit my resignation from the post of President FIH,” Batra wrote to the executive board of FIH.
It bears noting that Batra’s resignation from the IOA was, legally speaking, infructuous as he had ceased to be president of India’s Olympic body when the Delhi High Court, on May 25, struck down the post of ‘life member’ in Hockey India, courtesy of which he had contested the IOA elections and won in 2017.
The 65-year-old’s IOC membership was linked to IOA presidency but his resignation from the FIH has come from “left field” as it were since in May he had said that he wants to focus on his job in the world hockey body.
Batra was re-elected FIH President in May last year, beating Belgian challenger Marc Coudron by just two votes.
CBI raids on Batra
The CBI on Monday conducted searches at the premises of former Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Narinder Batra at five locations in Delhi and Jammu, officials said. (More Sports News)
The searches were conducted after filing an FIR against him in an alleged corruption case, they said.
The central probe agency had received a complaint against Batra following which it started a preliminary enquiry in April this year, which is the first step to establish prima facie criminality, they said. It was alleged in the complaint that Rs 35 lakh of Hockey India funds was used for Batra’s personal benefits, PTI quotes the officials as having said.
