Sport - Football

FIFA official assesses States' performance

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: Even as the Indian football team continues its poor show at the international level, AFC Asian Cup qualifiers being the latest, the World body and the Asian Federation are taking fervent efforts to help the country find ways to put the sport on the path to development.

As part of this is the visit of Mohsen Gilani, an assistant FIFA development officer, to India to assess the State associations and their activities, their stadium infrastructure as well as needs. Mr. Gilani had gone to seven States when he visited the country in August. "My assessment report was well received and that is the reason for the second visit with a view to covering more States," he said on Thursday after holding discussions with the Tamil Nadu Football Association President C.R. Visswanathan and other officials, and after having a survey of the Nehru Stadium.

Discussion with officials

Mr. Gilani, who is accompanied by the AIFF's newly-appointed Director of Competitions, Satyajit Sadanandan, reserved his comments on how his discussions with the local officials went, and said, "I have to send the report to the FIFA first."

But then the FIFA official was impressed that the TFA had its own office, computer links and modern facilities.

But at the same time he stressed the need for the State Association to have its own ground, and even an academy.

"This has been a drawback in most of the centres I visited including Tamil Nadu. This needs to be looked into," he said.

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