NEW DELHI: Tired at the All India Football Federation’s repeated attempts to undermine its state associations, the Kerala Football Association (KFA) on Friday, made its grouse official when it wrote to the president, Praful Patel demanding why it has been bypassed in organizing the ongoing Santosh Trophy in the state, and approached the state government to conduct it instead.
In a strongly-worded letter, a copy of which is with Times Sport, Tom Jose, president of the KFA wrote, “In connection with the Santosh Trophy in Kerala, we understand that the AIFF office, with your permission, has entered into an understanding with the state government of Kerala to organize the same without even consulting the state FA.”
“We would like to know how this understanding with the AIFF and government of Kerala state took place and who initiated at the first level,” Jose asked of the AIFF president, alleging that the Patel-led AIFF avoided the KFA deliberately.
Kerala sports minister V Abdurahiman is the chairman of the organizing committee for this year’s Santosh Trophy, being held at Mallappuram. Malappuram district collector VR Premkumar is the general convenor of the organizing committee, effectively making him second in command, while Malappuram District Sports Council president A Sreekumar is the convenor.
“Whenever the AIFF called for a meeting we expressed our concerns to the officials and strongly placed our demands to keep our rights protected. But your office never replied to our request and avoided the state FA deliberately,” it said, even as they reiterated to extend their full co-operation for the smooth conduct of the tournament. The KFA has directed the Malappuram district football association officials to fully cooperate with the organizing committee.
The organizational impasse over the Santosh Trophy is not the first time that the AIFF has bypassed the state association and approached the state government to conduct it. It had been the norm in the women’s nationals organized in November last year and the Indian women’s national camp in December-January, ahead of the AFC women’s Asian Cup in January-February as well where the state government were requested to organize it. The KFA had been internally raising their concern with the AIFF, this is the first time they chose to make it official.
The KFA president reiterated that the Kerala body has an enviable record of hosting top-level football tournaments in the past. “Please note that the Kerala FA has organized almost all types of national and international level tournaments in a befitting manner in the past without any direct involvement of the state government and its agencies,” he said.
“We believe that other state FAs are also capable enough to conduct such a tournament without the direct involvement of state agencies. So please clarify to us, why AIFF decided to bypass the state association and permit that state government to conduct the same,” asked the Kerala state body.
Jose further claimed that some of his office-bearers were included in some committees of the organizing team, but it was for “name sake, to show that the KFA is involved”. “This is deliberately done by your officials to cover up their agenda,” he further alleged.
Bypassing the state FAs and approaching state governments for tournaments and camps is the latest modus operandi of the AIFF -- Odisha’s government’s involvement in the conducting events being the most glaring example, and Ranchi close behind. Those in the know say that with football being demoted in the sports ministry’s priority list for continuing poor results – a mere Rs 5 crore was allocated for football when a budget of Rs 50 crore was expected – this appears an effective way to avoid greater expenditure. But at cost is the disempowering of state associations, who are in any case cash strapped, and suddenly find themselves cut off when an important event falls in their jurisdiction.
Addressing the letter to AIFF Executive Committee, General Body and office bearers, the KFA further demanded for the matter to be listed at the next Executive Meeting to help make a uniform policy for all states and avoid unnecessary misunderstandings in the future. “Till such time, we request your good self not to initiate any further activities with the Government of Kerala,” KFA told AIFF.
