Pakistan's national hockey federation (PHF) has expressed confidence that it's players will stay away from the unsanctioned World Hockey Series in India in the wake of the organiser's claim that all those who have signed for the multi-million event will certainly play.
In a major setback, the much-anticipated merger process between Hockey India and Indian Hockey Federation fell apart, thereby plunging the fate of the national game into deep uncertainty.
The upcoming World Series Hockey might be touted as the next big thing in Indian sport, but Hockey India on Wednesday termed the cash-rich league as a veterans' tournament and said Indian players participating in it will have to sacrifice their national jersey.
Three-time Olympian Mukesh Kumar feels "insulted and humiliated" after being sacked by Hockey India as junior national coach, and says the Narinder Batra-led organisation is no different from the Indian Hockey Federation.
A miffed Indian Olympic Association hit out at the Sports Ministry for not involving it in Saturday's merger talks to resolve the long-standing dispute between Hockey India and the Indian Hockey Federation.
Sports minister Ajay Maken has summoned the presidents of Hockey India (HI) and the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) for a meeting on Saturday to resolve their long-standing dispute over recognition and power-sharing.
Hockey Olympian Manohar Topno on Wednesday blamed lack of infrastructure and rivalry between the Indian Hockey Federation and Hockey India as major causes for the game's declining standard in the country.
Former captain Ajit Pal Singh fears that the ongoing power tussle between Hockey India and Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) may result in the national team not qualifying for the London Olympics.
World Series Hockey organisers on Thursday dangled an attractive cash carrot of Rs two crore in front of the players of the Indian squad who have signed up with them if they pilot the country to the gold in the London Olympics by breaking a 32-year-old medal jinx.
Faced with the prospect of India's hockey team being ousted from the race to Olympics, the Sports Ministry has called a meeting of the IOA, Hockey India and the Indian Hockey Federation on October 14 to resolve the dispute related to the game's governance in the country.
The Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) has decided to knock the doors of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, after the Sports Ministry has refused to reimburse Rs 85.3 lakh spent by the IHF on national team's participation in five events between 2005 and 2008.
India may have lost the right to host the Champions Trophy but there is no threat to the 2012 Olympic qualifiers to be held in India in February as Indian Hockey Federation (IHF), is hopeful of forming an unified body along with Hockey India (HI) before the tournament.
Karnataka boys and Haryana girls emerged champions in the 35th Junior (under-20) National Hockey Championships, organised by the Pune District Hockey Association, under the auspices of the Indian Hockey Federation. The lads from Karnataka again gave a good account of themselves to beat Punjab 2-0, while the Haryana girls proved too strong for Chandigarh, winning 5-0, to complete a hat-trick of triumphs in the Junior Nationals.
Calling the working agreement between Hockey India and the Indian Hockey Federation a 'bizarre live-in relationship', IOA acting President Vijay Kumar Malhotra on Tuesday said the two federations for one discipline will never be accepted.
Karnataka and Steel Authority of India Limited from Orissa scored hard-fought victories in their respective boys' quarter-final matches to set up an interesting semi-final in the 35th Junior (under-20) National Hockey Championship, organized by Pune District Hockey Association in association with the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, under the auspices of the Indian Hockey Federation.
Mumbai proved far too strong for Madhya Pradesh, winning 12-0, in a boys' Pool 'B' league match of the Junior (under-20) National Hockey Championship for boys and girls, at the Major Dhyanchand ground, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Nehrunagar on Tuesday evening.
In a move which could derail the ambitious plan of the Indian Hockey Federation to organise a World Series of Hockey in the country, the FIH has threatened to bar players and national associations from participating in the Olympic Games if they associate with the league.
In a conversation with rediff.com late on Wednesday evening, former President of the Indian Hockey Federation who was reinstated as the President of Indian hockey by court, said that a criminal case should be filed against the coach.
Unfazed by an Indian Hockey Federation directive to not revive the century-old Aga Khan tournament, the Bombay Gynmkhana is going ahead with its plan to hold the event from May 15-21.
With FIH chief, Leandro Negre all set to meet Sports Minister Ajay Maken on Tuesday, Hockey India (HI) on Monday expressed confidence that it will be able to convince the world governing body of the game to restore the Champions Trophy tournament back to the country.
The power struggle in the national game intensified with Hockey India (HI) warning players against participating in next month's men's National championship in Bhopal, organised by the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF).
Mumbai's boys and girls' teams bowed out of the 35th Junior (under-20) National Hockey Championships in contrasting fashion on Saturday. The Mumbai boys went down fighting to a plucky Karnataka 1-2 in a pre-quarter-final match while the girls were squarely beaten 6-1 by Punjab in a quarter-final.
The government on Wednesday issued an ultimatum to Hockey India and the Indian Hockey Federation to merge by July 25, failing which the Sports Ministry will take a decision and intimate the Supreme Court about it.
Showing good understanding in both attack and defence, Mumbai rode roughshod against Andhra Pradesh to post a convincing 7-0 victory in a boys' Pool 'B' league match in the 35th Junior (under-20) National Hockey Championship for boys and girls, at the Major Dhyanchand ground, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Nehrunagar, on Thursday evening.
The reconciliation efforts between Hockey India and Indian Hockey Federation suffered a setback on Friday, with the IHF rejecting the merger proposal in its current form.
Unperturbed by the FIH diktat asking member countries to either stay away from the World Series Hockey or risk Olympics exclusion, the organisers of the league on Thursday said they will "go ahead" as planned and seek legal recourse against the game's governing body if necessary.
The Supreme Court on Friday permitted the Indian Olympic Association and Hockey India to field the men's and women's teams in the October Commonwealth Games. The order was passed after Hockey India's rival Indian Hockey Federation admitted that it is not affiliated to the International Hockey Federation.
Legal experts feel that the five-member committee constituted to probe charges of sexual harassment against M K Kaushik, former chief coach of the Indian women's hockey team, has no legal sanctity and does not carry the same weight as one constituted in accordance with the Supreme Court's directive in the Vishaka vs Government of Rajasthan case.
Former India coach and captain Joaquim Carvalho hit out at Hockey India on Thursday for preventing fellow-Olympians Dilip Tirkey and Ashish Ballal from performing their roles as selectors of the rival Indian Hockey Federation at the ongoing 63rd men's Nationals in Bhopal.
The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has written a strongly-worded letter to the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF), asking it to stop claiming that it is an FIH-recognised body.
Bhopal and Jharkhand went on a goal-scoring spree in their respective boys and girls' matches in the 35th Junior (under-20) National Hockey Championship, organized by the Pune District Hockey Association, under the auspices of the Indian Hockey Federation, on Wednesday. Sadly, it was teams from Tripura who had to face the wrath in both the matches.
Hosts Pune District Hockey Association (PDHA) launched their campaign in grand fashion as they pulled off a deserving 5-1 win over a doughty Goa in a boys' pool 'C' league match of the 35th Junior (under-20) National Hockey Championship for boys and girls.
It is important that these events do not remain one-offs. It is crucial that India sets long-term targets, and not solely depend on foreign coaches from regions that continue to produce some of the finest talents in the world, asserts Arindam Roy.
The KPS Gill-led Indian Hockey Federation is all set to merge with the Indian Women's Hockey Federation on Thursday to strengthen its claim to being the sole representative body for the sport in the country.
The Delhi High Court on Tuesday said the government should not associate itself with the Hockey India elections, due Wednesday, as it is a private body. The Court also held that Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) is the only recognised body for the sport in the country.
Vrinda Karat, member of Politbureau of Communist Party of India, on Thursday agreed with former super cop and former President of the Indian Hockey Federation KPS Gill that an FIR should be filed against the former chief coach of the Indian hockey team MK Kaushik.
Apparently under pressure, former India captain Dilip Tirkey on Friday turned down an offer from the rejuvenated Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) to become a part of the four-member national selection committee. 'I am not accepting the appointment as a selector by the IHF. Air India has not given me permission for this,' Tirkey said in Bhubaneswar.
'If he is being spoken in the same breath as Dhyan Chand, then you can image how good he was.'
Upset over the directive from Hockey India to merge into a single unit before seeking its affiliation, three Maharashtra units, who were part of the erstwhile Indian Hockey Federation, were up in arms against HI on Wednesday.
The Sports Ministry on Tuesday asked Hockey India (HI) to suspend its election process in the wake of the Delhi High Court order reviving the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF).
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances