The International Hockey Federation Integrity Unit will not be taking any action against President Narinder Batra ©Getty Images

Neither the International Hockey Federation (FIH) Integrity Unit or International Olympic Committee (IOC) Ethics Commission will be taking any action against Narinder Batra in response to allegations made by Indian Olympic Association (IOA) vice-president Sudhanshu Mittal.

Batra is President of both the FIH and IOA, as well as an IOC member, but Mittal had contested that his ascent to both Presidencies was illegitimate. 

Mittal wrote to the IOC Ethics Commission this week urging it to ban Batra from "hockey and the Olympic Movement" as he claims there were "gross violations" in the process which led to Batra being elected IOA President in December 2017.

However, in documents seen by insidethegames, the IOC has told Mittal the "internal issues to which you refer were addressed and resolved prior to the elections" and that no action will be taken.

The matter is "regarded as closed for the IOC".

Similarly, Mittal lodged a complaint against Batra with the FIH, however Wayne Snell, independent chairman of the FIH Integrity Unit, has said that "the matter is not sustained" and therefore no action will be taken. 

Mittal had claimed that Batra breached FIH statutes when elected President of the global body in November 2016 as he was still the head of Hockey India.

Batra insisted Mittal had referenced a later edition of the FIH statutes and there was nothing in the regulations when he was voted in as President that prevented him from holding the position with Hockey India.

The Integrity Unit agreed with the President's position.

Narinder Batra's term as FIH President was extended until May 2021 following the postponement of its Congress ©Getty Images
Narinder Batra's term as FIH President was extended until May 2021 following the postponement of its Congress ©Getty Images

"Indeed, according to the FIH Statutes at the time, there was no requirement for Dr Batra to change his relationship with Hockey India after his election as FIH President in November 2016," Snell added.

"He therefore committed no breach of the procedure or the FIH Statutes."

Mittal's allegations of wrongdoing came following a bitter internal dispute at the IOA.

That dispute appears to have been caused by a public row between Batra and secretary general Rajeev Mehta.

Batra said he would assume many of the functions usually carried out by the secretary general, triggering a split within the IOA and leading to Mehta accusing him of acting illegally by seemingly dissolving the IOA Ethics Commission.

Batra is an IOC member by virtue of his position as IOA President and has consistently denied any wrongdoing.

In a message he sent to IOC President Thomas Bach and the Executive Board, seen by insidethegames, Batra described Mittal's accusations as "misleading" and claimed the IOA vice-president was trying to "damage my image and reputation as a means to project himself as he intends to stand as a candidate for the post of IOA President".

An IOA Presidential election is due to take place next year.

Batra's current term as President of the FIH has been extended until May 2021 because the governing body was forced to postpone its Congress in light of the coronavirus pandemic.