Tags: New Delhi , Hockey , World Cup , HI , FIH

New Delhi: International Hockey Federation (FIH) president Leandro Negre Friday asserted that a democratically elected Hockey India (HI) will be in place before the World Cup as that is the only way to put the game back on the rails here.

Negre, who is here to sew up the sponsorship for the World Cup with the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), categorically stated that there would be no further postponement of the election.

"Yes, there are some concerns, but we must not forget that India is a big country with so many states. Also, the wheels of bureaucracy turn slowly," Negre said.

The HI election was to be held Nov 18, but it was put off to January-end after some state associations questioned the process of affiliation. HI secretary general Mohammad Aslam Khan resigned, blaming the delay on members of the panel set-up for overseeing the affiliation process.

Ever since the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) superseded the Indian Hockey Federation and formed an ad hoc committee to run the sport in April 2008, more than one attempt was made to put an elected body in place, but the effort to bring around the erstwhile state units around proved futile.

In May, the IOA laid the foundation for HI, disbanding all the men and women's state units after FIH made a unified, elected federation mandatory for hosting the 2010 World Cup.

Negre maintained that there is no change in the FIH stand.

"We maintain that a unified, elected federation is a constitutional obligation of the FIH if any country has to organise the World Cup," he said.

"The FIH vice-president Antonio Von Ondarza, who is the observer for the election, has been visiting India and is aware of the problems. It was on his advice that the election has been postponed.

"I realise the election will be held very close to the World Cup, but that is not avoidable. Looking at the future of Indian hockey, we thought it is necessary to give HI a little more time to hold the election.

"The FIH, HI and the Sports Ministry are working in close coordination to see that the election is held in time."

Negre said that Sports Minister M.S. Gill has assured him that there will be no further delay.

Asked whether the current rift between the players and the coach was a result of an administrative failure, Negre said: "Let us not mix the two things. I understand that India's preparation for the World Cup is going on well. They have had some good results recently. For the sport, India is an important country."

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