The Hindu : Sport / Football : The game has become the victim

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Oct 30, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Sport

Sport - Football

The game has become the victim

Special Correspondent

BANGALORE: The Bangalore District Football Association (BDFA) has turned into a ‘lame duck.’ And football in the State is the ‘victim’ of this impasse.

The BDFA committee had resigned en masse on August 4 this year citing Karnataka State Football Association’s (KSFA) autocratic running of the game in the State and districts in particular.

KSFA, on its part, accepted the resignation of six members and claimed the rest had withdrawn the letter. But since then the game has remained at a standstill.

The KSFA countered the BDFA resignation by nominating a new committee with the names of the then resigned now withdrawn members in it.

The BDFA, on its part, countered and recounted in its Wednesday’s press briefing that a clause in the constitution: Chapter 3, Rule 16, states that in such a case (of six members resigning) the new members have to be nominated from the same body and therefore the current reconstituted body is irregular and invalid.

Mr. K.G.S. Alva, the chairman of the earlier BDFA committee, stuck to his guns stating that unless the clause is not withdrawn the committee will not hand over the charge to the new committee even if it has to take legal course.

“We are fighting against the newly-constituted BDFA headed by Deputy Director of DYSS, Mr. M.P. Swamy, and unless the clause is not withdrawn we will take the matter to the court. Regarding the impasse with the KSFA the option is to approach the Registrar of Societies,” Mr. Alva clarified.

But until then football and footballers will be the sufferers.

With 90 clubs and 178 life members in its control, the KSFA has been wielding authority. Meanwhile, BDFA will have to win over not only the clubs but also the other active districts to enhance its chances.

But having resigned the voices need not be heard… ITI Sports Club’s re-affiliation has been rejected by the KSFA, claimed C. Ramakrishna, former ITI Sports Secretary and now one of the BDFA members who submitted his resignation.

What then? The career options of the likes of Xavier Vijaykumar and many more will continue to hang in the balance!

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport