Hockey India Executive Board Meet: Infighting And Governing Council For HIL On Agenda
The meeting was called to resolve the differences among its top officials and restructure the struggling Hockey India League to create an independent Governing Council.
The tug of war in Hockey India intensified on Tuesday as President Dilip Tirkey denied sanctioning an Emergent Executive Committee Meeting convened by secretary Bhola Nath Singh on September 18. The meeting was called to resolve the differences among its top officials and restructure the struggling Hockey India League to create an independent Governing Council. Tirkey and secretary Bhola Nath have not been on the same page for a while following the controversy surrounding the change of Indian teams' jersey colour from blue to saffron before the recently-concluded FIH World Cup.
Tirkey said the change was made without his knowledge as well as without the consent of the HI Executive Board.
Subsequently, he sent a show-cause notice to HI Director General, Cdr R K Srivastava, and stripped him of all his powers with immediate effect, while listing eight charges. The change in jersey's colour was the most prominent.
The turn of events has prompted secretary Bhola Nath to call an emergent Executive Board Meeting. The notice issued by Tirkey gave Srivastava four weeks' time to submit his reply.
"On the advice/direction of the Hockey India President, Dr Dilip Tirkey, received via email dated 14.09.2026, the Emergent - 119th Executive Board Meeting of Hockey India will be held at 15:00 hrs on 18.09.2026 at the Hockey India Office, New Delhi," Bhola Nath wrote in an e-mail to Executive Board members, a copy of which is in possession of PTI.
The meeting was conveyed by HI secretary Bhola Nath but Tirkey in his reply on Tuesday had clearly stated that it is the sole prerogative of the body's chief to call emergency meeting and not the secretary.
"With reference to your email, please be informed that the by-law, as approved by HI on 20th June 2026, clearly states in the clause(16.4.2 ) that only the President can call an emergency meeting, not the Secretary General," Tirkey wrote in his mail to Bhola Nath and Executive Board members.
"Also be informed, I am very clear in my direction to you in my earlier communications unless the DG submits his explanation, no EB meeting will be held.
"Once again, I request you to refrain from disobeying the Chair of President Hockey India and instead spreading your own decisions and judgments to the other members and creating confusion. The action taken by me are purely for the betterment of hockey, instead of any betterment of some individual and their personal interest," he further wrote.
Bhola Nath, however, claimed that he had a conversation with Tirkey last Friday regarding solving all the issues related to HI, including the upcoming elections and the president asked for the agenda of the emergent meeting which was mailed to him.
"I called Dilip ji on last Friday and discussed about all the issues and about calling an emergent EB meeting to sort out the issues before the Asian Games which he agreed. He told me to give him the agenda, which I mailed. But I don't know why he is backtracking right now," Bhola Nath told PTI.
"We have to sort all the issues and the main things are elections and the structure of Hockey India League." The meeting called by Bhola Nath was also supposed to discuss the future of HIL for both and women.
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya held a meeting with Tirkey and HIL franchise owners on Monday and asked them to draw up a roadmap for the league with a five-member panel tasked with proposing a governance and financial model.
It is reliably learnt that franchise owners had demanded a new governance structure for the HIL where they would have a seat on the table as they were not happy with how the league was being handled by the federation.
"Discussion regarding restructuring of HIL with regard to HIL to be run as a joint venture along with Team Franchises. Formation of HIL Pvt Ltd as a separate entity/company, with equity of 40:60 per cent equity of HIL and Franchise," Bhola Nath wrote in his email.
"Formation of New Governing Council of HIL with Chairman and two Members from Hockey India and two representatives from each franchise. This GC will govern the administration of HIL." The meet will also discuss the possible dates for Hockey India elections.
"To finalise the date for the Hockey India Elections as per Hockey India Bye-Laws and to consider and approve the appointment of an Electoral Officer for conducting and supervising the said elections. To discuss and approve the Balance Sheet, Income & Expenditure account along with the Schedules and Notes to Accounts for the Financial Year 2025-2026." Among other agendas of the meeting will be a discussion related to hosting of men's and women's Asian Champions Trophy this year in Punjab (Jalandhar and Mohali) and Bhopal.
The notice served to Srivastava by Tirkey through his lawyer will also be up for deliberation.
"Place on record the legal notice dated 12.09.2026 and the contents thereof issued by the President to the Director General and Executive Committee Members, for discussion, deliberation, and decision," the mail read.
"Leakage of privileged and confidential information and records of Hockey India to the general public through Media/ Social Media or otherwise."Â
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