A cause for real concern

BEFORE THE last National Football League the All-India Football Federation's bowing its knee to the newly formed Indian Professional Football Association portended problems of dual authority and control. Six months on, it has germinated and grown to cause real concern.

On the eve of its last elections, the AIFF may not have been a house divided. But it had cracks, and the discerning saw them through the efforts to paper them up. At the heart of the AIFF's troubles was the stress and strain to make National Football League a viable project. The participating clubs and their officials had a litany of complaints.

The most prominent pivoted on finance. Like the inclusion of IPFA representatives on sub-committees. The IPFA also was to help get sponsors. Interestingly till the end of the league it was not known if any sponsor had been roped in, either by the AIFF or by the IPFA.

At its recent conclave in Mumbai, the IPFA was emboldened to demand better ground conditions at Mumbai's Cooperage, Kolkatta's Rabindra Sarobar Stadium and Thiruvananthapuram's Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium, besides better dressing rooms at the Cooperage, which teams had tolerated all these years, and re-education of our referees on the Laws and sending them abroad for exposure and studies.

The IPFA's demands are honourable. Like those of demagogues. Especially when they are voiced by men familiar with our football and its working. Far more reasonable would it have been for these men to bear in mind the available resources and cut the coat according to the cloth.

The IPFA is, or should be, aware of the inadequate contribution of the AIFF towards a sound and stable structure, this includes finance for our football. The IPFA exists and is able to make so much noise because of the AIFF's failings. Yet it banks on the AIFF to heed its call, and bestir itself to reform!

Would it be unfair to ask the IPFA if its demands are in any way different from those of the AIFF or its affiliates? The AIFF lacks the clout to enforce on NFL organising committees the terms and conditions, especially those relating to grounds for play and practice. Yet it wrote into the competition's rules and regulations conditions and clauses it had not been able to abide by in conducting events in various parts of the country. Hence it is understandable that the LOC's have done little better.

Besides, the LOC's had little incentive too. For, they stood to gain only a percentage of the gates. And the television footage of the matches, except in Kochi, Goa and maybe in Kolkata, revealed that the income would hardly pay for the hire of staff for the day.

Most LOC's have had little return to show for efforts in discharging their duties in the conduct of NFL matches. Till the last NFL they also had to bail out the financially hard-pressed AIFF, which was also pilloried by the clubs for non-payment of dues. And now, albeit indirectly, the IPFA is finding fault with the LOC's for the poor facilities.

Is the IPFA stand justified? Has it no part to play, in view of its earlier proclamation to work for improving conditions in our football? Is it truly professional, as distinct from commercial? Leading clubs in other countries, have the infrastructure to maintain and ensure continuity of existence in the highest division and contribution to the national standard. And grounds are an important and integral part of the infrastructure.

How many of our NFL clubs have grounds, either leased or hired, where matches could be held? East Bengal, Mohun Bagan, Mahindra United and Air India do not play on their grounds. The Goa teams play at the Nehru Stadium in Fatorda, Indian Telephone Industries at the Bangalore Football Stadium and State Bank of Travancore at the Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium. FC Kochi hires the Nehru Stadium. Jagjit Cotton and Textiles Mills have been permitted to play on their own ground for most of the home matches.

The crux of the issue is that the IPFA expects the AIFF and the LOCs to spend time, effort and money to prepare and maintain grounds and practice grounds for the convenience and comfort of IPFA members. It would be pertinent to ask if the IPFA clubs have contributed anything to the preparation and maintenance of these grounds? At least a small percentage of their huge budgets.

As professionals, the IPFA clubs and officials should know that the first of the 18 Laws of the Game deals with the field of play. They, too, should, instead of taking the easy way out and passing the buck on to the AIFF and the LOCs (rather state associations), whose raison detre is to cater to all the clubs of the country and not just to the dozen rich clubs.

K. BHASKARAN

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