Vasco, June 16 June (IBNS): Representatives of major Indian football clubs met Saturday and formed a common body of ‘I-League Professional Football Clubs Association’ at a city hotel in Vasco.
They discussed various issues linked to the registration of the association and other I-League related matters. Those present at the meeting were univocal and optimistic about bringing a change in the Indian Football scenario.
Those present at the meeting were as follows: R.A.J Gomes, (General Secretary Salgaocar FC), Debashish Dutta (Director, Mc Dowell Mohun Bagan), Armando Colaco (General Secretary Dempo SC), Chirag Tanna (Head of Operations Pune FC), Dr. S.R Dasgupta (Kingfisher East Bengal), Atul Badgamia (Mumbai FC), J. Thapa (Air India SC), Macario Rodrigues (Churchill Bros SC), Nawab Bhattacharya (Prayag United SC), Victor Fernandes (Sporting Club de Goa), Alokesh Banerjee (Director, McDowell Mohun Bagan).
Representatives of Shillong Lajong, United Sikkim & ONGC could not attend the meeting but have conveyed their support for the association.
The managing committee will comprise of all the 13 clubs and the office bearers will be as follows:
Gen. Secretary: Chirag Tanna, (Head of Operations, Pune FC)
Treasurer: Victor Fernandes (CEO, Sporting CDG)
It is proposed that the association should be registered under the society’s act 1960 by 30th June.
Among several Issues discussed in today’s meeting, the most prominent were about the promise of a revised I-League structure made by IMG Reliance.
All the clubs were concerned about this matter as the calendar for the upcoming football season has already been released by the AIFF but there was no news about the proposed “revised structure of I-League”.
Clubs also expressed their displeasure over AIFF’s finalising of the calendar for next season. As per the discussion held on 20th February, AIFF was supposed to discuss the calendar with the clubs before finalising; however, the calendar has been circulated without taking clubs into consideration.
The clubs have unanimously decided that they will release players for the national camps as per FIFA rules and regulations.
In the end, all the clubs thanked Mr. Shivanand V. Salgaocar, President-Salgaocar Football Club, for his generous support in hosting the IPFCA meeting in Goa.
