Facing the music after championing footballers’ cause
LUCKNOW Former India goalkeeper Naseem Akhtar was deprived of his participation certificate at the Santosh Trophy National Football Championship in 2010 and 2013 by the Uttar Pradesh Football Sangh after he demanded certain facilities for players of the state. Being the captain of the side, Akhtar wanted reserved seats for players on trains, proper food and lodging arrangements.
In 2010, Uttar Pradesh created history as the Akhtar-led side qualified for the quarterfinals for the first time and repeated the feat three years later.
The veteran footballer was banned for his ‘pro-players’ act by UPFS. All India Football Federation (AIFF) lifted the ban in December 13, 2010 after Akhtar fought a battle without surrendering before the alleged ‘dictatorial’ attitude of UPFS.
It wasn’t the first time a footballer was allegedly victimised for taking up the right cause. A woman footballer lodged a rape case under POCSO Act in 2014 against an office bearer. This office bearer allegedly used wrong information to get UPFS re-registered under the Society Act in 2015, denying that any legal or criminal case was pending against him or sporting body. In 2018, he allegedly asked a girl footballer to come alone to his house to collect her certificate, failing, which he allegedly scribbled ‘very poor performance’ on her certificate with a sketch pen.
In the 2018-19 session, six inmates of the state government-run football hostels were shown the door for submitting fake birth certificates at the national championship even though the forms of the footballers were apparently filled and submitted by UPFS office bearers.
“I am still waiting for my certificates for Santosh Trophy. This is enough for the world to understand how bad the situation is on the football front in the state?” said Akhtar on Monday.
In 2010, UP’s then director, sports, Hari Om, in an order, had made it mandatory that teams of all three football hostels and two sports colleges to play with a separate identity in the state championships. But UPFS continued to entertain teams of ‘unauthorised’ districts like Noida.
After the rape incident was reported, the then director, sports, K Ravindra Naik in 2014 had not only ordered suspension of the office bearer in question, but indicated the involvement of a deputy sports officer in this case. Uttar Pradesh Olympic Association imposed a blanket ban on UPFS and it continues till now.
But Uttar Pradesh Sports Directorate continued its support to UPFS. “How could we impose a ban on an individual even though All India Football Federation didn’t respond to our letters regarding UPFS,” UP’s director, sports, RP Singh said on Monday. “Restricting the UPFS’ activities would mean no participation of hostel or college inmates in the national championships. If we had any instruction from AIFF, we could suspend all support to UPFS,” he added.
“Who is responsible for the exit of six inmates from the hostels and why didn’t the sports directorate conduct an inquiry about this before kicking these boys out?” asked Akhtar who competed at the 2002 Asian Games in Busan. “The international football federation (FIFA) follows an eight-year term for its office bearers, but here in UPFS, some people have been at the helm for more than 40 years.”
No one from the UPFS office, including joint secretary, Shahid Ahmed replied to HT’s repeated calls on Monday.