IOC vice-president demands fresh probe against Narinder Batra in accordance with FIH statutes
Jun 14, 2020
New Delhi [India], June 14 : The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) vice-president Sudhanshu Mittal has said the International Hockey Federation's (FIH) clean chit to president Dr Narinder Dhruv Batra on his complaint of irregularity is an "attempt to eyewash" and insisted his allegation should be probed as per FIH's statutes.
Mittal alleged that his complaint against Batra was addressed to FIH Disciplinary Commissioner Gordon Nurse but it later referred to the integrity officer which has "no statutory provisions to look into a complaint against the president".
"I understand the rush you had to issue this statement of the Integrity Officer for a complaint addressed to the Disciplinary Commissioner. Just because (Wayne) Snell issues a statement, it does not make it right. The statement by the Integrity unit holds no power in the statutes of the FIH. It was a good attempt for eyewash," Mittal said in a letter addressed to FIH CEO Thierry Weil on Saturday.
"I still insist that my complaint addressed to the FIH Disciplinary Commissioner be adjudicated in accordance with the statutes of the FIH. This would not be, I repeat it would not be the last forum for an appeal of truth and justice in the matter," it added.
Mittal accused Weil of diverting his complaint to protect the world hockey body's president.
"At first, my complaint addressed to the FIH Disciplinary Commissioner was diverted by you to the FIH Integrity unit that has no statutory provisions to look into a complaint against the President. Without sending a formal communication regarding my complaint, Snell choose to issue a statement that further belief of manipulation to protect the FIH President," letter read.
"On 10th June, you diverted the complaint to whoever is favourable for a quick statement on the President. You confirmed the allegation I made regarding abuse of power by the President of FIH," it added.
Mittal said his complaint was never against Batra's eligibility as FIH chief but had more to do with "misrepresentation of facts and violation" of the world body's statutes.
"There is no merit to the statement of Snell because I did not question the eligibility of Dr Batra as FIH President in 2016. My complaint was about the misrepresentation of facts in 2017 and thereafter, which is a violation of the then FIH statutes. Members of the FIH that contacted me in the last few days confirmed that the amendment of FIH statutes in the 2018 Congress was not read in full, but termed as "clubbed" one as a group," the letter said.
"Members of the FIH was blindsided and unaware of the fact the exception to ex-officio members were added in the amendment of the FIH Statutes in 2018 to cover the submission of Hockey India Secretary Muhammad Mushtaque Ahmed in the IOA election of 2017 on behalf of the FIH President," it added.
On June 12, the independent FIH Integrity Unit (FIU) said: "It will not be taking any action regarding FIH president Batra in relation to this matter on the basis that the matter is not sustained".
"Indeed, according to the FIH statutes at the time, there was no requirement for Dr Batra to change his relationship with Hockey India after his election as FIH President in November 2016. He, therefore, committed no breach of the procedure or the FIH Statutes," FIH had said on Friday.
