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Time for Indian Olympic Association to act

S. Thyagarajan

Must explore the feasibility of creating a core

Chennai: In the throes of a crisis for the umpteenth time, the mess in hockey administration is getting murkier by the hour.

The catalyst for the current turbulence is the sting operation by Aaj Tak showing the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) Secretary, Jothikumaran, receiving cash for selecting a player for the Azlan Shah tournament.

Quite predictably, Jothikumaran has denied and explained his version of the clips shown.

No sooner than the intensity and calls for a change at the helm had died down after the disaster in Santiago comes the expose.

The exit of Jothikumaran in an unimaginably unpleasant scenario perhaps exemplifies the atrophied system of governance in hockey administration.

Unprecedented

The chorus for the resignation of IHF President, K.P.S. Gill, by Government functionaries, Parliamentarians, officials of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and ex-Olympians is unprecedented.

The Sports Minister, Dr. M.S. Gill, has put the issue in perspective while a hesitant and unsure IOA has called for an emergency EC meeting next Monday hoping that K.P.S. Gill will oblige and make IOA’s task smoother.

Whether the IHF President will heed the direction and advice of the Sports Minister or not is in the realm of speculation. It is unlikely that K.P.S. Gill will concede and allow criticism of his reign from all and sundry appear justified.

Ironically, the most vociferous dissidents today are those who were part of the same system for their benefit at one time or the other.

What needs to be stressed here is that the officials charged with the task of deciding against the IHF must be wary of those clamouring for a change without a workable agenda to alter the scene dramatically.

This is not in support of the current regime, or whatever is left of it, but the cure contemplated should never become worse than the disease.

Before going to the extreme step of suspending the IHF and inviting more complications arising out of it, the IOA must explore the feasibility of creating a core within the existing system.

The administration is definitely blessed with a few sincere and talented men to nurse it with a touch of sophistication.

Nominating someone like K. Krishnamurthy of Karnataka can be given a thought. He is a thorough professional, sincere, and known for his integrity; importantly, he has been in hockey administration for decades.

He is also one of the joint-secretaries in the current dispensation, one unafraid to speak his mind without fear. The vacancy caused by the exit of the secretary can be filled by one of the joint-secretaries. And constitutionally, it is also a right course.

IOA’s shortcomings

IOA’s dilemma over suspension is understandable in the context of its own shortcomings.

If constitutional impropriety and bad governance are taken as twin sticks to beat the IHF with, then the same may have to be used against a few more of its own constituent units.

In the Olympic year, the IOA will strive to steer clear of any major controversy, which it can afford to live with in the case of hockey since the Indian team is not going to be a part of the Beijing Olympics, both in the men’s and women’s sections.

Even if the IOA goes to the extent of disbanding the hockey administration for which it has the constitutional authority and sanction, the best course would be to constitute a panel of eminent administrators (at least one of them should be a management or financial consultant) and players connected with hockey.

This group can still function with a committed official like Krishnamurthy as secretary, until the set-up can be restructured in a proper election held under its supervision and control.

For IOA, the time to act has come. Procrastination will only add to the confusion.

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