Narinder Batra tendered his resignation from the Indian Olympic Association, International Hockey Federation and International Olympic Committee citing ‘personal reasons’.
Narinder Batra tendered his resignation from the Indian Olympic Association, International Hockey Federation and International Olympic Committee citing ‘personal reasons’.
Veteran sports administrator Narinder Batra on Monday resigned as the President of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) and also quit the membership of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Mr Batra ceased to be the President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) when the Delhi High Court on May 25 annulled the post of ‘life member’ in Hockey India, courtesy of which he had contested and won back the IOA elections. 2017.
In three separate handwritten notes, Mr Batra officially tendered his resignation from the IOA, IOC and FIH respectively. In all letters, he cited “personal reasons” behind his decisions.
“For personal reasons, I submit my resignation as President of the FIH,” Batra wrote to the FIH Executive Board.
Mr Batra’s IOC membership was tied to the IOA presidency, but his resignation from the FIH comes as a surprise as in May he said he wanted to focus on his job at the world hockey body.
The Delhi High Court’s refusal to stay his appeal before the double bench may have triggered Mr Batra’s resignation. But the matter has been listed for general hearing on July 26.
After his removal by the High Court, Mr Batra issued a statement declaring that he would not contest the upcoming IOA elections, saying that his focus would now be solely on the management of world hockey.
“At a time when world hockey is undergoing an essential development, with the promotion of Hockey 5, the creation of a new competition this year – the FIH Hockey Nations Cup – and the launch of platforms and activities that attract fans, my The role of the President of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) needs more time for all these activities.
“Consequently, I have decided not to run for a further term as the President of the IOA.” Mr Batra, 65, took charge of the IOA for the first time in 2017 and was eligible to contest again.
The IOA elections were to be held in December last year but could not be held as per schedule due to ongoing amendments in the election process.
Mr Batra became a member of the IOC in 2019 and later became a member of the Olympic Channel Commission.
Mr Batra became the FIH President in 2016 and last year reclaimed the position for a second term.
The Delhi High Court ordered Batra to stop serving as the IOA president in the “contempt proceedings” filed by Olympian and Hockey World Cup winner Aslam Sher Khan.
The court then appointed Anil Khanna as the acting president of the IOA, who had held the position of senior vice president of the IOA.
Shri Batra’s reign has been surrounded by many controversies.
In 2020, IOA vice-president Sudhanshu Mittal wrote to the IOC alleging irregularities and false declarations by Batra in his election to the top post.
Recently, Mr Batra had apologized for a social media post against former Chief Justice of India RM Lodha, which led to his resignation from the top post of IOA.
In April, the CBI also launched a preliminary inquiry against Mr Batra for alleged misappropriation of public funds.