Hockey India rules out VCA-like status to VHA

Staff Reporter

HOCKEY India has ruled out participation of Vidarbha Hockey Association (VHA) teams in national tournaments on the lines of Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) and reiterated that players can be part of Hockey Maharashtra team. In response to a specific query from Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court whether Hockey India, apex body of hockey governing in the country, would continue participation of VHA members under their existing banner in the sports activities carried out by the federation, the Hockey India stick to One State One Unit norm and refused to concede in favour of VHA, much to the disappointment of hockey players of this backward region. The federation has also ruled out continuation of VHA as a separate entity from July 1.  
In a detailed pursis filed before the High Court, the Hockey India counsel Adv Shreerang Bhandarkar informed that affiliation of VHA would be withdrawn from July 1 and henceforth Hockey Maharashtra would be the only registered unit for Maharashtra.
The pursis has come as a shocker for the hockey lovers of Vidarbha, Marathwada and Khandesh region who wanted to maintain separate existence of VHA in the interest of players while offering to forgo any financial aid and voting rights. Even the High Court on the last occasion had sought a firm word from Hockey India about protection of future of hockey players belonging to VHA. The Hockey India as a sweetener claimed that players from this region can be part of State unit or PSUs or departments enjoying associate member status during national championships, virtually indicating its non-flexible stance about discontinuing affiliation of VHA.
The VHA had sought parity with Vidarbha Cricket Association and stated that both VHA and VCA were protecting interests of hockey and cricket players respectively by allowing them to participate in national level tournaments while repeatedly making it clear that VHA was not interested in getting voting rights. Both VHA and VCA were formed during earlier CP and Berar and hence sought a direction to apex federation to allow VHA to retain its existence for the benefit of players from 22 districts of Vidarbha, Marathwada and Khandesh region.
Hockey India had decided to disaffiliate VHA from July 1. VHA claimed that it was in existence since 1959 and applying one state one unit norm of Justice (retd) R M Lodha committee report applied to Cricket Boards would be unfair and unjust to VHA, which was not interested in getting voting right at all. The stance taken by Hockey India to recognise only Hockey Maharashtra as a single unit for the state will reduce opportunity for players from Vidarbha at national level.
On January 6, 2020, Hockey India had asked VHA and several other Associate Units to merge with their State bodies by June 30, 2020, citing Indian Olympic Association’s One-State-One Unit diktat. VHA was asked to merge with Hockey Maharashtra which is a Permanent Member of HI. VHA was incorporated as an Associate Member with Hockey India in June 2013 after the then president BC Bhartia and secretary Vinod Gawai, fought for its inclusion. Since then VHA teams have participated in Hockey India organised nationals. Non affiliation from Hockey India might also bring downfall of the game in central India and put careers of budding players in jeopardy, the petitioner apprehended.
Hockey India has made it clear from 2021 only recognised state units will be allowed and only Public Sector Undertakings/departments would be allowed to directly participate in national units as associate members.


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