Mumbai: The All India Football Federation (AIFF) condemned Sunday the Indian Olympic Association’s (IOA) decision to drop the national football teams from the upcoming Asian Games contingent.
“The Committee strongly condemned Indian Olympic Association’s decision to debar football teams from participating in the forthcoming Asian Games in Jakarta,” the AIFF said in a statement after its executive committee meeting.
The meeting was chaired by AIFF president Praful Patel and attended by top office bearers including secretary Kushal Das. The IOA, earlier this month, omitted the men and women’s football teams from the Asian Games contingent, stating that they don’t stand a chance to win medals in the continental event in Jakarta and Palembang.
Among other decisions, the committee unanimously ratified the 2018-19 club licensing regulations. Meanwhile, in a further effort to curb age-fraud, the TW3 test, which has been accepted by the Supreme Court as an age verification test as well used extensively by the BCCI, has been implemented by the AIFF for all age-group competitions including club competitions, state tournaments and even national team competitions, the statement further added. The costs for the tests would be borne by the respective clubs and state associations.
Also abiding by the FIFA regulations, the Committee ratified the use of five substitutions in age-group competitions along with an extra substitute if the match is stretched to extra-time.
Award for Chhetri
Mumbai: Inspirational captain Sunil Chhetri was Sunday named as the 2017 All India Football Federation (AIFF) Men’s Player of the Year by the national body. Chhetri recently became the second Indian footballer to play 100 international games after Bhaichung Bhutia. Kamala Devi was adjudged the 2017 AIFF Women’s Player of the Year.