(By Himanshu Singhal)
 
New Delhi: Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) chief K P S Gill is running out of friends a day after a TV channel allegedly caught his deputy accepting bribes.

The Sports Minister has demanded his resignation and on Wednesday the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) said IHF needs a cleanup. “The act of corruption by the IHF secretary general is very embarrassing. We will discuss all this on Monday,” said IOA chief Suresh Kalmadi.

The Sports Ministry too has demanded accountability from the IHF. “The Olympic movement and all the federations which are part of him, they also have a responsibility. There is no doubt in mind that there should be clean use of money, clean accounting and results are paramount,” said Sports Minister M S Gill.

K P S Gill’s aides told CNN-IBN he has left Delhi for some undisclosed location for "meetings".

While the IOA and the Sports Ministry are concerned about the future of hockey as a sport in the country, the Commonwealth Games Committee is worried that such incidents can damage India's reputation as a sporting country beyond repair.

“Definitely, if these type of cases come forward, it definitely spoils the image of the federation, as well as of the office-bearers of the federation,” said Lalit Bhanot, Secretary of Commonwealth Games Committee.

CNN-IBN has also leant the FIH is keeping a close eye on the matter. There have already been murmurs the 2010 World Cup could be snatched away from New Delhi and it is clear, the latest scandal will not help the IHF's case.
 
(CNN-IBN)