India’s Narinder Batra re-elected as International Hockey Federation president

Incumbent Narinder Batra of India was on Saturday re-elected as the International Hockey Federation (FIH) President for a second term during the virtual 47th Congress of the sport’s global governing body.

Batra, who is also the President of the Indian Olympic Association and an International Olympic Committee member, narrowly defeated his rival Marc Coudron, chief of Belgium Hockey Federation, by a margin of two votes.

Batra secured 63 votes as against his rival’s 61 to emerge as the winner in the online voting process, in which 124 member associations participated.

Batra will hold the office until 2024.

Congratulations to Dr. Narinder Dhruv Batra for being re-elected as FIH President. pic.twitter.com/QqWwbrrNqx

— International Hockey Federation (@FIH_Hockey) May 22, 2021

LIVE update from the 47th FIH Congress on May 22, 2021:

Hockey India congratulates Dr. Narinder Dhruv Batra on being re-elected as the President, International Hockey Federation for a second term. 🎉#IndiaKaGame pic.twitter.com/j4gUd3I83G

— Hockey India (@TheHockeyIndia) May 22, 2021

The Indian will hold the office until 2024 as the FIH has reduced the term from four to three years due to deferment of the Congress last year. The 47th Congress was to be held last year in New Delhi but was postponed because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Batra became the first non-European president of the FIH in 2016 after he was…

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