New Delhi, Nov. 15 -- The Ice Hockey Association of India (IHAI) on Saturday defended its status as a National Sports Federation (NSF) and the nominations of PT Usha and secretary general Harjinder Singh as its authorised representatives for the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) elections on December 5, citing its recognition by the IOA and the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). After IOA president Usha, who did not make the list of Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit (SOM), was nominated by the IHAI as its representative for the IOA election, a rival faction challenged the IHAI's authority as the national governing body for ice hockey in the country. IHAI was called to present its case before IOA Electoral Officer Sanjay Kumar Srivastava on Saturday. It is learnt that the association also submitted a September 23 letter issued by the international body and signed by IIHF director general Matti Nurminen. In the letter, it confirmed that the IHAI fulfilled the international federation's "governance and financial requirements and remained in good standing." The association also relied on an August 17 letter from IOA Chief Executive Officer Raghuram Iyer, which identified the IHAI as an NSF and recorded Gurpreet Singh Bakshi as its president and Harjinder Singh Jindi as secretary general. The IHAI has said that Usha is part of its administrative setup, in response to the IOA's constitutional provision requiring nominated representatives to be members of the respective units. There is no requirement for NSF-nominated representatives to be part of its executive body or general body. The IHAI maintained that it had informed the IOA about the "disputed" parallel "election process" initiated in the name of the IHAI by certain individuals through communications in July and August, well before the current IOA election process began. It also argued that the IOA's subsequent recognition letter of August 17 supported its position....