The Director General of Investigation, CCI, has initiated a probe into the complaint against Hockey India. A source told The Indian Express: “We received the case two months back... Prima facie we find Hockey India has indeed abused its dominant position.”

Former India hockey captain Dhanraj Pillay, with three other Olympians, had objected to Hockey India — that holds “sole mandate to govern and conduct all activities for hockey in India” — warning players that if they participated in the World Series Hockey (WSH) proposed by the Indian Hockey Federation, they would lose their position in the national team.

According to the players, WSH was a golden opportunity. “At no point have hockey players in this country come close to earning Rs 15-20 lakh in a single tournament... Some of the players who had signed contracts with the WSH are scared,” Pillay told The Indian Express.

A CCI official said the players had also pointed out that sports bodies of most other countries had cleared WSH.

The Competition Commission is probing a similar case in chess. Hemant Sharma, along with others, has sought the CCI intervention against the All India Chess Federation (AICF), accusing it of stopping players registered with it from participating in tournaments organised by other associations.

Sharma had earlier moved the high court and the court, noting that “endeavour of the AICF appears to be to exercise its monopolistic position”, had asked the petitioners to move the CCI.