The malaise of age-fraud makes a return at the Junior National Football Championship

For the last few days rumors were abound on the internet where sources close to various state football associations hurling accusations that certain teams participating in the 49th Junior National Football Championship has over aged players in their team. It was interesting to note that a state run sports body who is fielding their team was also accused of age-fraud.

Putting the rumors to bed is an article from The Telegraph which quotes an AIFF official.

“Bengal are one of the few states, who stuck by the rule book and fielded a side that had footballers within the stipulated age,” said an AIFF official. “Teams like Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Goa, Manipur and Meghalaya also adhered to the age restriction.

“For the rest of the states, it has become a free for all,” claimed the official.

Age-fraud is a serious malaise that needs to curbed else all these national level age-group tournaments turn worthless and associations that comply to the rules are made a laughing stock.

We at Football News India believe, AIFF,  for the greater good of the game should ban State/District associations for a certain period of time if they are found fielding an over-age team in an age-group tournament.

 Quotes in the article is sourced from  – Age-fudging at AIFF meet

Lalit Modi to shape up IPL style football league in India

Image Courtesy : http://static.guim.co.uk

Image Courtesy : http://static.guim.co.uk

Tainted and exiled former IPL chariman – Lalit Modi turns his attention to football now. Lalit Modi was recently banned from BCCI.  According to a report in The Indian Express, Modi has had Initial discussion with AIFF president about starting a IPL style league.

Read More : Lalit Modi may now dabble in IPL-style football league

I-league to start off with no telecast and title sponsor

I-League_logo.svgI-league will kick off this Saturday but there is no confirmation on the telecast and title sponsor.  Even though AIFF published an article on their website saying that fans would be able to watch the season opener between Churchill Brothers vs Salgaocar FC, broadcaster Ten Action has not so far put up the schedules on their website.

If you are to go by available reports, there will be no telecast for the 1st round of matches. Supposedly the broadcaster has not been able to recce of the stadiums so far and they are going to do it at the earliest.

I-league will also be without a title sponsor this season as well. IMG-Reliance, the marketing partners of AIFF have been striving to rope-in  a sponsor but so far that efforts have not been fruitful.

Will a Kerala team participate in Federation cup?

Fed_CupWith Kerala being the hosts for the next Federation Cup, the big question is will a Kerala team get to participate?

With no team in the fray for I-league and no team reaching the final stages of I-league second division last time around, technically there is no place for any Kerala team in the Federation Cup.

If Malayalam media reports are to go by, Kerala FA will be placing a request to AIFF to include a Kerala team for Federation Cup. Kerala Police, SBT and Eagles FC are the names that are being touted. AIFF’s indifference towards departmental clubs means, if a slot is allowed, Eagles FC has a fair chance to make it.

Eagles_FC_Kerala

 

Manjeri, in Malappuram district would be the venue if the ongoing stadium construction gets completed by the time of the championship.

AIFF planning to scrap Santosh Trophy – AIFF general secretary

SantoshTrophyLogoAIFF general secretary – Kushal Das has said that the federation is mulling over a decision to scrap the national championship – Santosh Trophy as it has lost its relevance.

The report also suggest that AIFF is planning for an Elite residential academy in Goa and Pune.  They are also planning to implement a grass-root programme in Maharashtra with the help from Football Federation Australia.

From now on AIFF would give more impetus to women’s football as women’s football has much better FIFA ranking compared to the men’s team.

On the status of U-17 World cup bid, it was said that AIFF is still waiting for clearances from the government on this. As we reported earlier, the last date to forward our bid is September 30th.

We are guessing these questions were put forth to the AIFF general secretary at the Sportzpower football summit at Delhi.

Read more : AIFF mulling over Santosh Trophy’s future: Secretary

Update : Today, TOI which carried that article (AIFF mulling over Santosh Trophy’s future: Secretary) has put a spin to the whole issue. The new report says that AIFF secretary said that there is a need to make Santosh Trophy contextually viable.

Malayalam news reports are saying that Kushal Das did volt-face over his previous statement which he made during that Sportzpower summit and came out with statement later that he is not against Santosh Trophy and there is no decision to cancel the tournament.

AIFF could change the Santosh Trophy format and is mulling to make it an U23 tournament.  Read more: Santosh Trophy format change on the anvil

Churchill Brothers lambasts AIFF over payment issue

Churchill_Brothers_SCIn a players status committee meeting, AIFF had directed Churchill Brothers to pay up the player’s salaries they had held up so far. Today the Goan outfit has launched a scathing attack on the Indian football federation accusing them for non-payment of full prize-money to the club as they were the champions of the I-league last season.

Churchill Brothers accused that AIFF has only managed to pay 30 lakhs of the totally 70 lakhs which is the prize money for the winners of the I-league. They also accused AIFF of not clearing other dues pending.

Read more : Churchill Brothers lashes out at AIFF over payment issue

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