IHF slams Batra for jibe at AIBA, IOA
Last month, Hockey India general secretary Narendra Batra accused the International Boxing Association of accepting handsome bribe from the newly-formed Boxing India to grant them provisional recognition. At a time when India’s hockey team was preparing for the World Cup, Batra’s outburst was untimely.
The motive behind his sudden interest in boxing and its functioning has baffled HI, who are surprised as to why he blatantly took on an international body of another sport.
Batra also criticised Indian Olympic Association president N Ramachandran for backing Boxing India, a consortium of Sandeep Jajodia (Monnet Ispat Limited) and World Series of Boxing franchise owner Udit Sheth.
HI’s rival Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) strongly backed AIBA and IOA. “Mr Batra mentions that AIBA’s action will have a direct bearing on the other sports in India. Lest he forgets it is the International Hockey Federation and HI that set this unhealthy trend of depriving a just and fully functional body such as the IHF by illegally transferring its affiliation to HI. HI was registered as a society on May 20, 2009, but was granted provisional recognition by FIH in November 2008, a full seven months prior to getting registered. His statements regarding AIBA’s actions vis-a-vis Boxing India are an irony,” IHF secretary Ashok Mathur pointed out.
With Batra’s close proximity to Arun Jaitley (now finance and defence minister), sources say he will aggressively vie for a plum post in the IOA. It’s time the HI secretary concentrated on reviving the sport he is in charge of.
The motive behind his sudden interest in boxing and its functioning has baffled HI, who are surprised as to why he blatantly took on an international body of another sport.
Batra also criticised Indian Olympic Association president N Ramachandran for backing Boxing India, a consortium of Sandeep Jajodia (Monnet Ispat Limited) and World Series of Boxing franchise owner Udit Sheth.
Sources in the IOA have said that Batra deliberately took on the AIBA and the IOA. “He seems to be looking at a big role in the IOA. His interference in IOA and AIBA was a way to send out a message,” a source said.
HI’s rival Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) strongly backed AIBA and IOA. “Mr Batra mentions that AIBA’s action will have a direct bearing on the other sports in India. Lest he forgets it is the International Hockey Federation and HI that set this unhealthy trend of depriving a just and fully functional body such as the IHF by illegally transferring its affiliation to HI. HI was registered as a society on May 20, 2009, but was granted provisional recognition by FIH in November 2008, a full seven months prior to getting registered. His statements regarding AIBA’s actions vis-a-vis Boxing India are an irony,” IHF secretary Ashok Mathur pointed out.
With Batra’s close proximity to Arun Jaitley (now finance and defence minister), sources say he will aggressively vie for a plum post in the IOA. It’s time the HI secretary concentrated on reviving the sport he is in charge of.
