FIH president Negre to meet HI, IHF next week

New Delhi, April 7 (IANS) International Hockey Federation (FIH) president Leandro Negre will be visiting India next week to sort out the differences between the two warring bodies Hockey India (HI) and the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF).

The FIH president, in February during the 2012 London Olympic qualifiers, had given both the bodies a month's time to sort out their differences and come out with a merger formula.

But more than a month has passed and the two bodies have failed to meet to sort out their issues.

IHF president R.K. Shetty told IANS that Negre will try to initiate the merger talks between the two bodies.

"Mr. Negre had promised during the qualifiers that he would return after a month to assess where things stand in terms of merger talks. But frankly speaking, the two bodies didn't sit across the table. We were also busy with the World Series Hockey (WSH). I sincerely hope that we find a solution," Shetty told IANS.

HI secretary-general Narinder Batra also hoped that talks would be fruitful this time.

"I am always hopeful. IHF didn't get time to sit down with us in the last one month. We have given them (IHF) options and it is for them to decide," Batra told IANS.

Negre had told both HI and the derecognised IHF that they should merge for the betterment of the sport in the country. HI is the official custodian of the sport in the country but IHF, which was disbanded by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on bribery charges in 2008, is recognised by the court of law.