Hockey India top honcho Narinder Kumar Batra became the first Indian to be elected as the president of the International Hockey Federation. Batra replaces outgoing President Leandro Negre of Spain who completed an eight year tenure.
The boss of Indian hockey won the three-way contest handsomely. He was elected on the occasion of the 45th FIH Congress held in Dubai. He beat Ireland’s David Balbirnie and Australia’s Ken Read. Batra got 68 votes while Balbirnie got 29 and Read 13. Out of the 118 voters, only 110 voted and eight abstained.
(File ) Narinder Batra
His ascendancy to the post of FIH president assumes even more significance given that he is the first Indian to be elected president of an olympic sport's international governing body. His four-year term begins immediately, replacing predecessor Leandro Negre from Spain who was awarded the title of president of honour by the FIH on Friday.
India has a glittering past in world hockey, being the only country to have won 8 olympic gold medals. It is presently guided by Batra who wrested control of the sport from supercop K.P.S.Gill in 2008. Since then, Batra has taken full control of the sport in India. He has been successful in bringing Indian hockey back on the road of improvement. Most importantly, and perhaps the key reason for his successful election as the head of FIH, is the fact that he has made India the financial powerhouse for hockey. Key sponsors for the sport at all levels are from India. He rules Indian hockey with an iron fist -- exacting discipline and accountability from players,officials and coaches.
"As president, Batra will be tasked with leading the sport through the next phase of the FIH’s 10-year Hockey revolution strategy. A key part of this will be the delivery of the new event portfolio which begins in 2019," FIH stated post the elections.
Batra has been a controversial figure in Indian sports -- he is famous for his run-ins both with the Union sports ministry and the Sports Authority of India (SAI). But his fights have mostly now been related to demanding, and getting, facilities for Indian hockey players at junior and senior levels. He has also been a separate voice in Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and has been friends and foes with top administrators from time to time. While he was earlier against former IOA secretary General Randhir Singh, he later mended fences with him.
He had his fair share of differences with the current set of officals in IOA -- specifically president N Ramachandran and secretary general Rajeev Mehta. The fight between Ramachandran and Batra was so acrimonious that it had led to several suits and counter-suits being filed by both sides. Reportedly, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) forged a truce between the two and it was only after the duo buried their hatchet and withdrew legal cases that Batra was assured of smooth sailing during the elections. The OCA threw its entire weight behind Batra during the elections.
The new president will work very closely with outgoing CEO Kelly Fairweather over the next few weeks, before the latter’s departure in early December. He will then continue to work with interim CEO David Luckes, FIH Director of Sport, before incoming CEO Jason McCracken officially takes up his new role on February 1 2017.
