New Delhi: Hockey India president Mohammad Mushtaq Ahmed has resigned from his post following orders from the Sports Ministry. His resignation has been approved by the Executive Board of Hockey India. The board has appointed Gyanendro Nigombaum, Senior Vice President of Manipur until the election of the new president.
Mushtaq submitted his resignation to the executive board on 7 July, a day after the order of the ministry. His resignation was approved at the emergency board emergency meeting on Friday.
Hockey India issued a statement saying, “The Hockey India Executive Board held an emergency meeting today and Gyanendro Nimombam of Manipur was made the acting president of Hockey India.” Mushtaq sent his resignation to Hockey India on 7 July.
In this, he had said to leave the post for personal and family reasons. Mushtaq’s resignation was accepted in the meeting convened today. The Sports Ministry had found that Ahmed had violated the Sports Code Guidelines in the 2018 elections. He held the post of president only after these elections.
The Sports Ministry has taken a strong stand against the National Sports Federations after the Delhi High Court did not recognize 57 Sports Federations. The Ministry of Sports sent a letter on 6 July asking Mushtaq Ahmed to resign from the post.
The ministry said in its order that their election in 2018 is a violation of the guidelines of the National Sports Code. At the same time, the Sports Ministry in a letter sent to Hockey India Secretary General Rajinder Singh on July 6, asked for fresh elections for the post of President by September 30.
