"We have already agreed to give our ground for the conduct of the World Series Hockey Season 2. We have now received a letter from the DSO (District Sports Officer) of Maharashtra Government asking us not to give our ground to anyone else for holding matches of Hockey India League," MHA Secretary Ram Singh Rathor told a media conference last night.
WSH, a joint initiative of IHF and Nimbus Sport, is scheduled to be held from December 15 to January 23 while HIL, sanctioned by the International Hockey Federation, is planned from January 6 onwards, leading to a potential clash of dates between the two rival leagues.
"We are and will remain with the IHF, but we do not want our players to suffer. We want them to play in all tournaments. That's also the instruction we have received from IHF President R K Shetty and K P S Gill (former IHF President) who know our concerns," said Rathor.
"We have already written back to DSO that its stadium has been allotted to WSH from December 1 to January 25."
Asked whether DSO can force them to give away the ground for HIL games, Rathor said MHA has told the officer to sort out the matter with IHF and HI.
"This is the first time in our 75-year history that the DSO has sent such a letter asking us to give our ground to a third party (HI). We are not against HIL and want our players to play in all tournaments," he said.
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The association has already renewed lease of its premises with the State Government for 15 years till 2019 and has asked for a further lease of 15 years, Rathor said.
To queer the pitch further is a media statement on the proposed HIL issued yesterday by IHF Secretary General Ashok Mathur. (MORE)