BHUBANESWAR: Odisha, which today can rightfully lay claim to being the “patron state” for hockey in India, will now have outsiders running the show there.
This comes after Hockey India nominated Bhola Nath Singh, currently president of the Jharkhand Hockey Association, as chairman of the ad hoc committee that will manage the game in the Eastern Indian state.
New Indian Express reports that while issuing its “decree”, HI bypassed Hockey Odisha and instead wrote to the Odisha Olympic Association president Jagmohan Pattnaik on June 7, authorising him to nominate a representative of the OOA to the ad hoc committee as a member.
“Without terminating the existing Hockey Odisha, it is hard to comprehend why HI formed an ad hoc committee,” a clearly aggrieved Hockey Odisha secretary Pratap Satapathy told NIE.
Satapathy pointed out that Hockey Odisha is one of the founder members of HI and registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1960. It has its own registered by-laws, which provides the manner of the election of the office-bearers.
Satpathy also made note of the fact that the unconditional support of the Odisha government to Indian hockey is incomparable with any other state. Simultaneously, with the guidance of the state government, the state’s hockey association has helped produce many male and female players for the country, he further told the daily.
The Hockey Odisha secretary added, “HI is not in a position to host any national-level tournaments. Which is why it is unfathomable what was the emergency to create an ad hoc committee that is truly “unconstitutional”.”
Satpathy also pointed out that that in the past, the Hockey Odisha men and women teams have won many titles in different national tournaments.
The state has produced players like Olympian and legend Dilip Tirkey, Lazrus Barla, Prabodh Trikey, William Khalko, Jyoti Sunita Kulu, Birendra Lakra, Dipsan Tirkey, Deep Grace Ekka, Namita Toppo and Lilima Minz.
Interestingly, HI has nominated Tirkey as the athletic representative on the ad hoc panel.
