AIFF lauds women’s team after advancing to 2nd round of Olympic Qualifiers

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Saturday lauded its women’s senior team for advancing to the second round of the AFC Olympic Qualifiers.

The 2020 Olympic Qualifiers were held recently held in Yangon. “This is for the first time the Indian women have qualified for the second round. Congratulations,” AIFF general secretary Kushal Das said.

The executive committee members of AIFF met at the Football House. AIFF senior vice-president Subrata Dutta chaired the meeting in the absence of president Praful Patel.

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The committee condoled the death of former AFC general secretary Peter Velappan, and AIFF medical committee member Dr. Manpreet Gambhir. A minute’s silence was observed as a mark of respect for each of them.

Das also apprised the committee about AIFF’s MoU with the Government of Odisha. “The Government of Odisha has been extremely supportive for the development of Indian Football and I need to thank the honourable CM Shri Naveen Patnaik ji for all his support,” he stated.

“The Indian Arrows and the India U-15 team preparing for the AFC U-16 Qualifiers would be based in Bhuwaneshwar. The MOU will also facilitate general football development, scouting, development of referees and coach education programmes. We will also be setting up the U-15 Girls Academy in Bhuwaneshwar,” Das said.

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Updating the committee about I-League matters, Sunando Dhar, CEO, I-League informed that the Hero 2nd division will kick-off from December.

23 teams have so far expressed their willingness to play. However, the participants would be finalised only after completion of the AIFF club licensing inspection and thereafter, placed before the league committee.

“The AIFF TW3 tests are currently being conducted for all the clubs for the U-13 and U-15 leagues,” Dhar added. The committee unanimously gave its consent to hold the AGM on December 20.