By IANS,
New Delhi : The Delhi High Court Friday quashed as illegal the central government order derecognising the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF).
Giving relief to IHF president K.P.S. Gill, Justice S. Muralidhar said: “None of the explanations offered by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) convinces the court that there was justification in disaffiliating the IHF without issuing a show cause notice to it and violating the law of natural justice.”
IOA derecognised the IHF and this was endorsed by the union sports ministry.
Terming the derecognition illegal, the court said: “Sports bodies have to have a degree of autonomy with the government playing the role of an effective regulator. They must be allowed to function in a democratic manner with persons really interested in developing the game participating in its affairs.”
“The knee-jerk reaction to losses at international events, which are inevitable in competitive events, and looking for persons to blame, cannot be conducive to a healthy development of any national sport. For a proper enquiry into the problems besetting Indian hockey the cloud of suspension over the IHF should be lifted. The past should be put behind and a new beginning made,” the court said.
IOA had dissolved the IHF in April 2008 and Hockey India was formed as the interim governing body for the national game.