Bhubaneswar, Oct. 12 -- Hockey India threatened to downgrade Odisha's hockey association over governance lapses, including the appointment of bureaucrats to head all 30 district units, even as the state is the principal sponsor of the Indian men's and women's teams.

In a show-cause notice dated October 7, Hockey India said the Hockey Association of Odisha (HAO) failed to comply with its bye-laws on democratic elections, transparency, independence and good governance citing that collectors and district magistrates continued to be the presidents of every district hockey unit, while additional district magistrates were secretaries.

Besides, sub-collector, chief development officer-cum-executive officer of the Zilla Parishad continued to be...