Sudeep Pakrashi:
The All India Football Federation’s state units have refused to accept the contentious ‘representation clause’ that was up for adoption under the Supreme Court’s directive. Indian Football Association (IFA) is one of the state associations that has already sent a reply to the AIFF letter, mentioning that the implementation of Article 25.3 (d) will detach the All India Football Federation (AIFF) from its initiatives for the development of grassroots football across the country.
IFA secretary Anirban Dutta, when asked about the issue, said, “If the new rule is implemented for the post of office-bearers, then I have no objection. I agree that an office-bearer cannot hold chairs in both the state association and simultaneously in the AIFF. But, if the law is applied to the post of the executive committee, then I have an objection, and we have sent a reply explaining the disadvantages.”
Dutta explained, “You have to understand the most important aspect that the executive committee does not execute policies. The members work as advisors, and they are the representatives of their respective state associations who are involved in everyday affairs in football in their states. They gain the knowledge of what to do for the development and how to do it. They have the knowledge about how football, especially the youth development programs, are going on in their respective states, and the need to develop them further. So, in an executive committee meeting, those state association representatives get the opportunity to share their activities, and the requirements for the progress of the game.”
He continued, “Now, if you remove the state association representatives from AIFF’s executive committee, then AIFF will be completely detached from the mainstream football, especially from the development programs of the game.”
Article 25.3 (d) states: “In the event that a person is elected as an Office-Bearer in a Member Association and holds a position of an Office-Bearer in the Executive Committee of the AIFF, he/she shall automatically be deemed to have vacated his/her position in the Member Association.”
However, when asked whether IFA has plans to seek any help for the development of football in Bengal from legendary Lothar Matthaus, the ambassador of the forthcoming Bengal Super League (BSL), Dutta revealed, “We did not have time for any such discussion on Sunday regarding the matter. But I was highly impressed by his one key advice, ‘training the trainers’ for the ultimate progress of the game. I feel Indian football does not have adequate quality coaches’ educators. So, I have a desire to discuss about the coaches’ training programs with Matthaus when he comes to Kolkata in December, likely.”
