India could be banned from Olympics field hockey

Field hockey's world governing body has warned India it could miss the London Olympics even if it qualifies due to an ongoing tussle over who runs the sport in the country. The International Hockey Federation (FIH) said it was not in favour of a settlement brokered by the Indian sports ministry that would see rival bodies Hockey India (HI) and the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) jointly run the game. In a letter to the sports ministry, FIH president Leandro Negre said his federation only recognised Hockey India as the governing body for the sport which had exclusive authority to enter national teams in international events. The FIH wants the government of India to "advise HI and IHF not to proceed with the implementation of their broad arrangement," Negre wrote in the letter dated September 27, a copy of which is with AFP. The FIH also wants the Indian government to settle the money owed to it for organising the World Cup in New Delhi in March last year. "If the above is achieved... there will be no more concerns about the participation of Indian hockey team in FIH-sanctioned competitions such as London 2012 Olympic Games," Negre wrote. The FIH had earlier this month taken away the elite eight-nation Champions Trophy from India and awarded the hosting rights to New Zealand over the same governance issues. Sports ministry official Rahul Bhatnagar told reporters the ministry would soon meet Indian Olympic Association and hockey officials to finalise a reply to the FIH. India failed to get direct entry for next year's London Olympics after finishing third at the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, and will now play in a qualifying event. The eight-time Olympic champions missed out on the 2008 Beijing Olympics after losing in the qualifying tournament.