JOIN USMattoo, who has donned different roles over 40 years in sports administration, quit as Hockey India president following the strike by players over the payment issue back in January. With the Delhi High Court quashing the disaffiliation of the Indian Hockey Federation on Friday, a peculiar scenario has unfolded in the country, with Hockey India’s existence coming under question. HI already has the recognition of the FIH, the international hockey federation, as well as the Indian Olympic Association.
“I haven’t read the judgement yet, so I can’t really comment on it. But what I feel is that the three bodies concerned -- IHF, HI and IOA -- should hold discussions to take it forward. They should adopt a policy of give and take,” Mattoo said here on Saturday. “In case of any confusion, they should go back to the court and seek clarifications so that they can move forward.”
Mattoo, a former president of the Indian Amateur Boxing Federation and treasurer of IOA, quit all his posts following the hockey players’ strike.Mattoo said he supported the guidelines issued by the government on the tenure of office-bearers of sports bodies. “I am not an interested party now. But if you look back, you can see that I quit as IABF president in 1989 under the old guidelines. After a four-year break, I came back.
“It’s good to have new faces in administration. But regarding the age limit, I am against it. If you are imposing an age limit for administrators, then why not have it for Members of Parliament also?” Mattoo asked.