Following the resignation of Indian administrator Narinder Batra, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) on Wednesday appointed Egypt’s Seif Ahmed as its acting president. Batra on Monday resigned from the post of FIH President and also from the post of Indian Olympic Association (IOA) chief. He also gave up his International Olympic Committee (IOC) membership which was directly linked to his IOA position.
The FIH said in a statement that its executive board has officially accepted Batra’s resignation and unanimously appointed Ahmed as its interim chief during the two-day virtual congress until new elections are held on November 5.
The members of the Executive Board (EB) of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) have officially accepted the resignation of Dr Narinder Dhruv Batra. Batra became the president of FIH in 2016 and last year reclaimed the position for a second term till 2024.
“Unanimously FIH EB member and African Hockey Federation President Seif Ahmed (Egypt) was appointed acting president until the next presidential election.
It said, “…the upcoming FIH Congress will be held virtually as planned on 4-5 November 2022, with the presidential election on 5 November.”
Ahmed played for the Egypt national team in 1968 and has a long association with the sport as an umpire and technical officer. He has been a member of the FIH Executive Board since 2001. The FIH is also concerned that Hockey India has been placed under a three-member committee of administrators by the Delhi High Court when the country is to host the 2023 World Cup.
“Furthermore, the EB has sent an FIH delegation to India soon to assess the current situation of Hockey India, especially in view of the next FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup, which is currently planned to be held in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela. has decided. January 2023,” the world body said.