Sports Reporter
May 27, 2025
IN A major setback to Vidarbha Hockey Association (VHA), the Supreme Court, on Monday, refused to entertain the association’s plea seeking Hockey India’s Associate Membership recognition.
A vacation bench of Justices Surya Kant and Dipankar Datta, after hearing brief arguments from the petitioner, declined VHA’s plea for Associate Membership.
Last year, the Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court had taken a decision to revoke VHA’s membership with HI in accordance with the Indian Olympic Association’s (IOA) One-State-One-Unit policy.
Justices Nitin Sambre and Abhay Mantri delivered the verdict while ruling on the writ petition filed by the VHA concerning its membership with HI. VHA’s membership was deemed withdrawn effective July 1, 2020.
“Hockey is an Olympic sport and there can be only one association from a state under the existing regulations,” the Supreme Court said on Monday.
The Apex Court allowed the withdrawal of the Vidarbha Hockey Association’s plea for its recognition as an Associate Member of Hockey India and the Indian Olympic Association, saying no case is made out for interference with the Bombay High Court order. “After arguing for some time, the learned counsel for the petitioners seeks and is permitted to withdraw the Special Leave Petition,” the bench said in its order.
The Bombay High Court on June 26, 2024, upheld Hockey India’s decision revoking the Vidarbha Hockey Association membership. The association said that it was in fact an Associate Member till 2013, but was removed arbitrarily.
The counsel appearing for the association said that in cricket and kabaddi, there
are a number of associate members.
To this, the bench said, “Hockey is an Olympic sport and under the existing regulations of the Indian Olympic Association, there can be only one association from one state.”
Justice Datta pointed out that the counsel was referring to cricket and kabaddi which are not Olympic sports and said that even the Mumbai Hockey Association was derecognised because there can only be one association from one state. The bench also questioned the Vidarbha Hockey Association for filing a writ petition and asked why it could not move the High Court raising its concern.
Upon failing to get a satisfactory response, the top court decided to dismiss the petition but the counsel sought permission to withdraw the plea which was allowed.
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The SC asked us to give all information regarding the Rule Number 31.1.3 of Indian Olympics to Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court, hence we withdrew the case. We will be filing a review petition in Nagpur High Court.
— Krishna Joshi, VHA Co-ordinator
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