Undue influence from third parties and FIFA Ban on Indian Team

Here is the explainer for the news from Indian Express.

However, this post is about a personal touch on football in India.

India probably has the biggest fan base of all of the world football. Be it world cup and premier league matches in or outside of India, Indian fans win big time.

As a child I was also attracted to football and went for summer coaching organized by the Kerala Football Association. It was some INR 50 for the camp, and my parents double checked before paying and ensured that I was serious about attending the entire camp. I attended the camp in full. And it was a strengthening experience and gave a positive confidence to play football. Previously hesistant due to multiple health related events, after the camp football was manageable and I was trained on the tricks. The coach and coaching area and the group of co-campers were excellent learning experience.

Back in school I could shine with the newly learned skill and shocked and surprised that school mates who previously wouldn’t pass the ball to me would do. They trusted me!

Then there was option to continue the training with different coaches in another school ground nearby. And I heard that the summer camp students were supposed to get a certificate that could benefit them when they decide to pursue football further. I could not care much about it, but it was a good to have. So I would ask the coach every alternate meet-ups about certificate and he would vaguely promise that it will be given soon. And days passed. And then I heard from fellow playmates that the certificates were given to the “favorite” students, and they ran out of certificates.

I never received the certificate.

Slowly the play became a drudgery, I was never invited for any of the play offs outside of the training ground. And then one day a new coach said, If you want to play go home, buy a football and play with it. He was probably hinting at me not doing a team work, team play. And that was the end of it. I never wore the football shoes, shin pad or played football anymore.

If, at a very low level summer camp these organizers could not encourage and provide completion certificate, and play favouratism, then I can only guess what happens from the very top down. Based on my personal experience I think Indian football deserve the ban. And hopefully the system will set itself in a corrective path. But a lost hope is a lost hope.