In what turned out be as close as a penalty corner shootout, Dr Narinder Dhruv Batra edged out well known Belgian Marc Coudron 63-61 to retain the President’s post of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) at the virtual Congress session on Saturday.
It is a matter of pride and honour for Indian sport that Batra got re-elected. At a time when international travel has come to nought, the campaigning mode was very different this time. These elections were to be held in 2020, but because of the Covid-19 pandemic, it was postponed to 2021 May.
In 2016, when the elections were held in Dubai, Batra had won by a huge margin. That was thanks to his aggressive campaigning where he travelled to several countries and met officials of various national hockey associations.
In terms of communication and transparency, there can be no doubting Batra’s intent. This time, sitting in New Delhi during the second Covid-19 wave and talking to people around the world and canvassing for votes was a challenge. To have defeated Coudron, 51, Belgian’s hugely capped player, and someone who has done wonders for his nation, proves Batra is still very popular.
At the press conference on Saturday, Batra mentioned how he was very close to Marc Coudron and is “like a brother.” It is this camaraderie which makes Batra very popular in sporting circles. Yes, he also has his set of detractors.
There is a big challenge ahead in the next four years for the FIH President who works in tandem with CEO Thierry Weil. The financial status of the world hockey body is in “saving mode” as mentioned by Weil.
That apart, with the Covid-19 pandemic catching the world by surprise in 2020 and making it more difficult in 2021 for many countries, planning tours and the Pro League has become difficult. Weil said at the press conference: “One has to be positive and keep planning for the future and make adjustments.”
Everyone knows the world of sport has taken a hit because of the pandemic. While First World countries may be better off in economic terms, the developing countries face a big challenge to support sport. When Batra said 49 per cent of the people had not voted for him on Saturday, it was a clear admission he has to work harder in the second innings.
Even during the last four years, he has faced flak from carping critics, notably in Europe. The dynamics are changing, on and off the field. Yet, what is a big factor is the role played by Batra in bringing high profile hockey events to India.
Bhubaneswar has hosted the World Cup and FIH Pro League matches in the past. In 2023, Bhubaneswar and Rourkela will host the FIH World Cup again. At a time when there are not too many takers for big ticket hockey around the world, Orissa has been a large hearted host, thanks to the personal initiative of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
The good thing about Batra is he is not resisting change. He is aware five-a-side hockey is developing and catching up. During his online digital election campaign, Batra had mentioned how dealing with change and making the sport more visible will be important. He had also mentioned how the Olympics needs to stay relevant in the Olympics.
For someone who first raised the standard of hockey, the administration and the players in India and then Asia, Batra knows in his second innings he has to take fresh guard and bat straight.