Goa raise questions over the transparency of AIFF awards
GFA president Caitano Fernandes sent a letter to the All India Football Federation president Kalyan Chaubey about the ‘twisted and unjustified’ manner in which the AIFF Awards were selected and handed out”. Significantly, GFA did not receive any recognition at the annual ceremony. According to a report from News9 Sports GFA president, in his letter extended congratulations to all the deserving award winners and Member Associations, but wrote, “I also write with a sense of anguish and a need for clarity regarding the selection process and the rationale behind the award categories, particularly those for Member Associations. Specifically, I would like to understand who within the AIFF, or which specific committee, was responsible for deciding the AIFF award categories for Member Associations for the year 2025.” Fernandes pointed out how Goa, with approximately 6800 players registered on AIFF’s centralized registration system (CRS) out of a population of 15 lakh was overlooked for the winning members association, whose registrations amount to 0.04% of its population (5 lakh out of a population of 127 million) was overlooked by the AIFF. Goa also organized over 1400 matches this season where almost 200 registered clubs took part. “We feel that this is a very skewed method of identifying the winner in this category because the smaller states will always fall behind even though technically football is more popular amongst the populace,” was Fernandes’ observation. “We are probably the only state that organizes l6 leagues and have a well-structured youth competition for both boys and girls, which was even commended by the (AIFF) League Committee,” commented Caitano while speaking to News9 Sports. Not only Goa, but a few other officials of a few other state associations also expressed wonder and disappointment while speaking to News9 Sports as they were also ignored in the AIFF award function, held on 2nd May in Bhubaneswar.
Shikhar Dhawan Steps into entertainment with music video ‘Besos’ Featuring Jacqueline Fernandez
Cricket’s beloved Gabbar, known for his thunderous cover drives and infectious smile, is set to steal hearts once again–this time, not on the field, but in front of the camera. Shikhar Dhawan is expanding his presence in the world of entertainment with a brand-new avatar: a performer in a high-energy music video titled ‘Besos’. And he is not alone. Bollywood’s dazzling actress, Jacqueline Fernandez has joined him in the music video. The two are collaborating for the first time, and the pairing has already sparked excitement among fans, according to a release. The track, described as funky, vibrant, and full of flair, is expected to bring out a playful, rhythmic side of Dhawan that fans have not seen before, according to the media release. Whether it is matching steps with a Bollywood superstar or bringing his signature swagger to the screen, Shikhar seems ready to show that his talents go well beyond cricket stadiums. Set to release on YouTube on May 8, 2025, Besos promises to be more than just a song–it is an experience, a vibe, and perhaps the beginning of a new chapter for the cricketer-turned-entertainer. This is not Dhawan’s first foray into entertainment. Fans may remember his brief cameo in the 2022 Bollywood film Double XL. But Besos marks his most prominent role yet in front of the camera, the release said. Dhawan played 34 Tests, 167 ODIs, 68 T20Is, and scored 10,867 runs in international cricket. He has played 222 Indian Premier League (IPL) matches and scored 6,769 runs. He retired from international cricket and all forms of Indian cricket last year.
Saudi Arabia wins hosting rights of U-17 Asian Cup football for three years; India to start campaign in SAFF U-19 from 9th May
Saudi Arabia has won the hosting rights of Under-17 Asian Cup men’s football competition for the next three consecutive years for 2025, 2026 and 2027. After Fifa announced that the Under-17 men’s World Cup football championship will take place every year starting from 2025, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has decided to stage the under-17 Asian Cup every year. Along with Saudi Arabia, China and Iraq expressed desire to get the hosting rights for the next three years. Among the three countries China and Saudi Arabia fulfilled all the terms and conditions in their biddings. Saudi finally won the rights. Incidentally, the last Under17 Asian Cup men’s football competition took place in Saudi Arabia last month from 3rd to 20th April. Uzbekistan clinched the title defeating the hosts for the second time. Meanwhile, 23-member under-19 Indian squad for the forthcoming SAFF Under-19 championship has been announced by the chief coach Bibiano Fernandez on Tuesday. Among the 23 footballers, 13 from North East states have ensured their berths in the final team. The tournament will take place at Golden Jubilee Stadium in Yupia, Arunachal Pradesh from 9th to 18th May. Six countries, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan Maldives and Sri Lanka will vie for the title. India will start their campaign on 9th May against Sri Lanka.
Argentina’s World Cup-winning defender Luis Galvan dies at 77
Former Argentine Wold Cupper defender Luis Galvan died on Monday at the age of 77, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) said. Galvan was a member of the World Cup-winning Argentine squad in 1978 which defeated Netherlands 3-1. Local media reported that Galvan had been in the Reina Fabiola Clinic in Cordoba with pneumonia for several weeks. “The AFA and its entire leadership extend heartfelt sympathies to his family and friends during this painful time,” the association said in a statement on Monday. Galvan played as a centre-back in Argentina’s 3-1 win over the Netherlands in the 1978 World Cup final in Buenos Aires. He also represented Argentina at the 1982 World Cup in Spain, earning a total of 34 caps for the national team. He retired from the international game in 1983. Galvan continued playing for boyhood club Talleres de Cordoba, setting a club record with 503 appearances over 17 seasons in two spells, first from 1970 to 1982 and later from 1986 to 1987.
AB de Villiers retorts to the critics of Kohli after his blistering knock against CSK
His former teammate, South African star AB de Villiers, has taken a bold stand against Virat Kohli’s critics, particularly targeting remarks made by legends Sunil Gavaskar and Virender Sehwag. After Kohli’s sparkling 62-run innings against Chennai Super Kings, helping Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to a narrow two-run victory and the top of the IPL points table, De Villiers remarked, “Virat is always there. He is Mr. Safety for RCB. When he is there, you don’t have to fear. Never fear when Virat is near. That is the story. Nothing has ever changed, and what I want to tell all of you media people, I haven’t forgotten. I have the brain of an elephant. To all my journalist friends out there, I love you guys. But remember when you said Virat bats too slow, right? Virat was batting at almost a 200-strike rate last night. Eat that.” In an Instagram post, Gavaskar and Sehwag questioned Kohli’s strike rate. Sehwag had notably criticized Kohli for scoring the joint-slowest century in IPL history, suggesting he should have accelerated after reaching his half-century. Gavaskar, too, had engaged in a well-documented back-and-forth with Kohli over his scoring pace. Kohli’s performance this season has been nothing short of stellar. He has surpassed the 500-run mark in an IPL season for a record eighth time, amassing 505 runs in 11 innings at a strike rate of 143.47. His tally of seven fifty-plus scores is his third-best in an IPL season, following 11 such scores in 2016 and eight in 2023. This dominance has placed him at the forefront of the Orange Cap race, narrowly leading over Gujarat Titans’ Sai Sudharsan.
