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Tamil Nadu on the verge of losing artificial pitch

Special Correspondent

Nehru Stadium is under the control of the SDAT
Football authorities to seek Government’s help

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu is on the verge of losing the opportunity of having a FIFA-sponsored artificial football pitch, worth Rs. 4 crore, if the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here is not available for executing this project.

FIFA’s offering of ten artificial pitches in the country had come as part of the ‘Win in India with India’ programme launched by FIFA President Sepp Blatter in 2007.

The AIFF decided on selecting States which had come under the Asian Football Confederation’s ‘Vision India’ programme and also where the I-league is being held. As per this, States like Goa, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Manipur, Punjab, Delhi, Sikkim, Maharashtra and Karnataka were in focus for this prestigious project.

Replacing natural turf

In recent times, the AIFF Secretary Alberto Colaco had informed the Tamil Nadu Football Association (TFA) that if the State were to get a ‘pitch’, then it had to be as a replacement for the current natural turf in the Nehru Stadium, which has hosted several international matches.

But the stadium is under the control of the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu and the hitch seemed to be that once the artificial surface was in place, athletics activities, particularly events like javelin, shot put and discus, could not be held.

Even as AIFF indicated that the deadline was nearing for TFA to inform its position, the State football authorities have decided to move the Government for help to take a decision on the matter.

“We thought of suggesting an alternative site but AIFF was adamant stating that Nehru Stadium was the only venue it would accept,” a TFA official said after the Central Council of the State body had discussed this matter, among others, at a meeting here on Sunday. “We are meeting the Minister concerned and also the Chief Secretary before giving our final reply,” he said.

State schools’ league

Meanwhile, the Central Council decided to move ahead with the ‘Vision India’ programme and start a ‘State schools’ league’ shortly. A meeting of the officials of the six Districts chosen under this programme — Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Madurai, Dindigul and Tirunelveli — will be held on August 19 to finalise the schools league.

The meeting viewed with concern the continuing differences between the President and the Secretary in the CFA and discussed if an ad hoc committee should be formed to take over the football activities in the city. However, the official said, both the CFA President and Secretary who were present had agreed to work in harmony to ensure no constitutional breakdown and “we are giving them a chance”.

On the recently conducted Santosh Trophy National championship, the Council noted that for the Rs. 70 lakh budgeted programme, the Association would break even or make marginal revenue with the grant from the State Government (still to come) and other sponsorship money.

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