Facing discrimination because of my name & religion, alleges former HI chief

New Delhi : Former Hockey India President MohdMushtaque Ahmad on Tuesday accused the Sports Ministry of partiality in application of the 2011 National Sports Development Code of India and of discriminating against him because of his religion.

In a letter to Sports Secretary Ravi Mittal, Ahmad said that he hails from a "minority community" while presidents of other National Sports Federations are being allowed to continue in their roles despite alleged violations of the Sports Code.

"I would like to place on record my feeling that the MOYAS's belated decision smells bad intention against me as President of Hockey India being from minority community while Presidents with names such as Sudhanshu Mittal, Rajeev Mehta and Secretary General AnandeshwarPandey (I will be sharing Handball election issues separately) are being given free run to continue despite their violations of the Sports Code in KhoKho, Fencing and Handball respectively. This makes me feel that by having a name as Mohd. Mushtaque Ahmad seems to be a problem," Ahmad wrote in the letter.

A copy of the letter has also been marked to Union Sports Minister KirenRijiju.

Ahmad had last week stepped down as Hockey India President after the Sports Ministry said that his 2018 election violated the Sports Code.

"...it has been observed that MdMustaque Ahmad had earlier served as Treasurer in Hockey India (HI) from 2010-2014 and Secretary General from 2014-18. The instant term 2018-22 of MdMustaque Ahmad as President of HI, is his third consecutive term as an office bearer in HI.