Hockey India to hold emergency board meet amid leadership tensions

Hockey India will hold an emergency Executive Board meeting on September 18 to address escalating tensions within the national governing body and chart a path forward for the struggling Hockey India League, which is set to get an independent Governing Council.

The rift between President Dilip Tirkey and Secretary Bhola Nath Singh has widened following a controversy over the Indian hockey team's jersey colour change from blue to saffron ahead of the recently-concluded FIH World Cup. Tirkey has alleged the decision was taken without his knowledge or the Executive Board's approval.

In response, Tirkey issued a show-cause notice to Hockey India Director General Cdr R K Srivastava, stripping him of his powers with immediate effect. The action cited eight charges against Srivastava, with the unauthorized jersey change serving as the primary grievance. Srivastava has been given four weeks to respond to the notice.

The internal discord reflects broader governance challenges at Hockey India, which has faced multiple controversies in recent months. The emergency board meeting is expected to deliberate on resolving differences among senior officials and implementing structural reforms to stabilize the organization and its marquee league.

The outcome of the September 18 meeting will be critical in determining the future direction of Indian hockey administration and the viability of the Hockey India League as a professional competition.