Sports Ministry won’t hesitate to step in if Hockey India impasse continues

Cdr. RK Srivastava (extreme left) and Bholanath Singh (extreme right) are in the centre of a major tussle of | Photo Credit: X/ Odisha Sports

The Sports Ministry is keeping a close watch on the administrative wrangling within Hockey India and is not averse to interfering if the need arises.

While Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya met HI president Dilip Tirkey and Hockey India League franchises in New Delhi on Monday to discuss the continuation of the league, sources said the minister was keen on the officials resolving the ongoing disputes but would not hesitate to step in if things got worse.

“The sports minister also met HI officials, including both Tirkey and secretary general Bholanath Singh, along with both men’s and women’s chief coaches and captains after the World Cup. The ministry is not interested in getting involved in the internal matters of any federation but if things don’t get resolved, it will have to interfere to ensure the sport or the players don’t suffer,” sources said on Monday that also saw another round of tug-of-war between the two camps.

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While Bholanath Singh called for an emergency meeting of the executive board on September 18th claiming it was on the advice of Tirkey, the latter shot back denying any such direction and further declaring that only the president had the power to call for one. “Also be informed, I am very clear in my direction to you in my earlier communications unless the DG (Srivastava) submits his explanation, no EB meeting will be held,” he wrote, asking Bholanath to refrain from disobeying orders.

Sources also confirmed that the sports ministry was confident of an early resolution. “It’s not an issue that can’t be resolved, it is the ministry’s responsibility to fix things. We had problems in football also but now things are ok there, we hope it will work out similarly for both Hockey India and the HIL,” they insisted.

Published on Sep 15, 2026

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