Football
AIFF plans to host a four-nation tournament in Gujarat
Chaubey, who was elected as the AIFF president as a nominee of Gujarat State Football Association in 2022, said the state is among the top five in sports in India.
FILE PHOTO: Kalyan Chaubey became the AIFF president in September 2022.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) is contemplating hosting a four-nation tournament in Gujarat, said federation president Kalyan Chaubey on the sidelines of the 12th edition of Father Palau Inter-School Boys Football Tournament in Bhavnagar, Gujarat, on Friday.
“Gujarat is currently one of the top 5 states in sports in our country. Having recently hosted the national football championship, we (the AIFF) are planning to organize a four-nation senior men’s football team tournament in Gujarat (in near future),” Chaubey was quoted as saying by Gujarati daily Divya Bhaskar.
Chaubey, a former goalkeeper of the Indian team, also stressed that more former players should come to sports administration to help bolster the sports ecosystem in the country.
“If the opportunity is given to former players to lead sports associations, they can bring positive changes to the sport," said Chaubey, who was elected as the AIFF president as a nominee of Gujarat State Football Association in September 2022.
"While there may not be a specific rule mandating this, players who intimately understand the sport and its systems can propel it forward. Their ability to identify talent from grassroots levels is invaluable. The combination of sports and administration accelerates the promotion of sports,” he added.
The AIFF has also appointed Mulrajsinh Chudasma, Secretary of the Gujarat State Football Association, as the head of the federation's grassroots development programme.
