The Hindu : Sport / Football : Indian football has commercial potential

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 27, 2005

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Sport - Football

Indian football has commercial potential

Sports Reporter

NEW DELHI: India's plunging World ranking in football has caught the attention of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). After about a year since it was launched, the continental body has repackaged its plan to raise the level of the game in the country under the `Vision India' project.

The AFC's seven-member `Vision Asia' team, after two days of deliberations with the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and Delhi Soccer Association (DSA) here in the capital, said it found enough commercial potential in Indian football.

"We are here to help tap that potential and make Indian football into a commercial product," said the AFC General Secretary Peter Velappan.

As part of the plan, the AFC has selected Delhi and Manipur for its pilot project and the respective state associations as models for the rest of India. The plan proposes to integrate school and club football to give the clubs wider base to select players.

As regards infrastructure — Delhi has just six grounds — the AFC wanted the government to be the major stakeholder in promoting the game. As for the AFC, it will help restructure the administration of the game, conduct educational courses for referees and coaches and introduce the use of sports science in club football.

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