Batra quits as FIH and IOA president

Narinder Batra’s long association with sports administration came to an end on Monday even as the beleaguered administrator was subjected to CBI searches in a corruption case across States.

Batra resigned as the International Hockey Federation (FIH) president in a hand-written note citing ‘personal reasons’.

Court order

He also tendered his resignation as the IOA president, even though he had already been ordered to step aside by a court order on May 25 that termed his continuation as IOA president illegal after striking down the post of ‘life member’ in Hockey India, which Batra held when he fought the IOA elections five years ago.

He was further asked to formally resign on June 24. Batra has challenged the order while Anil Khanna has been named acting president. Batra also stepped down as member of the International Olympic Committee, which was linked to his IOA role.

“Due to personal reasons I submit my resignation from the post of president FIH. Thank you for your support and guidance” Batra wrote to the FIH Executive Board. Batra had been elected for a second term last year, defeating Belgium’s Marc Coudron by just two votes.

While his resignation from the IOA and IOC was on expected lines, his decision to quit FIH comes as a surprise, especially given his announcement in May that he wouldn’t seek re-election to IOA “to devote more time to the promotion of Hockey 5s and the Nations Cup”.

“The Executive Board shall appoint an acting president to hold office until the FIH Congress appoints a person to fill the vacancy… a meeting of the EB will be organised as soon as possible… the next presidential elections will take place during the upcoming FIH Congress which is planned to be held virtually on 4 and 5 November this year,” the FIH said in a statement.

CBI search

The resignations came on a day the CBI searched his premises in Delhi and Jammu in a corruption case accusing Batra of siphoning Rs 35 lakh of Hockey India funds for personal use. A petition had also been launched ahead of the July 15 FIH EB by former India coach Terry Walsh seeking removal of Batra as FIH president.

Batra has been associated with Indian hockey since the early 2000s, in the erstwhile IHF and was instrumental in the removal of K.P.S. Gill and forming of Hockey India. He was also the DDCA treasurer from 2010-2013.