Lawsuits can impact hockey

As the stakes get higher and higher in sports with more money coming in, both Indian sportspersons and national sports federations are increasingly seeking legal redressal on a variety of issues - at a huge price.

Whether it is ace boxer Manoj Kumar, who recently moved the Delhi High Court successfully after being deprived of the Arjuna Award due to an identity crisis with another namesake, or the BCCI, which is embroiled in a host of cases, courts across the country are being routinely approached seeking justice.

Much like that of the BCCI, Hockey India's "legal and professional" expenses too have increased in the last few years.

In its latest balance sheet, for 2013-14, its expenses increased by almost 65 lakh. In 2012-13, the expenses had almost doubled over 2011-12.

It is well documented that Hockey India had been in litigation with the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) for a long time and the two fought a case in the Delhi High Court to get recognition as national federation.

Finally, the sports ministry recognised Hockey India through a letter dated February 28, 2014. Many people appreciate that Hockey India is one of the few national federations that regularly put their balance sheet on their websites.

"Hockey India is a transparent body as far as finances are concerned and you can access our balance sheets on our website," said a federation source.

However, it is also a fact that Hockey India's legal and professional expenditure has risen over the years. No reasons for this have been given in the 2013-14 balance sheet, but the source said that it includes the fee of the lawyers and chartered accountants engaged by the federation.

He also clarified that the high salary of Hockey India CEO Elena Norman is not included in the legal and professional expenses.

On the other hand, it is clear from its balance sheet that Hockey India's expenditure on the "promotion of the game", including tournaments, too has gone up since 2009-10, the year from which the accounts are available on its website.

However, the nomenclature of this head has changed.

Till 2011-12, it was called "promotion of hockey", and since 2012-13 it is called "tournament and hockey promotion expenses".

Under "promotion hockey", expenses of coaching camps, coaching and umpire seminars, financial aids to players, players' uniform, trophies/mementoes, and washing allowance of players/officials were included.

But these details are missing from the balance sheets of the last two years.

Since Hockey India is still a fledgling body unlike the 85-year-old BCCI, it is all the more reason for Hockey India to refrain from rushing to the court every now and then, and instead spend more on the game and players.