India hits a roadblock in Flag Football, pull out of World C'ships

Chennai: The Indian team has withdrawn from the Flag Football World Championships 2024, scheduled to be held in Finland between August 27-30.

Sandeep Choudhary, the president of the American Football Federation of India (AFFI), confirmed the development to The Bridge over a phone call.

He cited technical issues between the host country and the tournament organizers which resulted in complications over visa approvals as the reason behind the withdrawal of the Indian team.

"There were some technical issues between the host country (Finland) and the managing partner. The host country was not organizing the event, it was rather done by an event management company. So we found it difficult to get the visas approved. We tried our best but we were asked to reapply for visas, and the process would have taken another month. So we had to pull out of the tournament," he told The Bridge over a phone call.

He also expressed that the players were disappointed as they prepared hard for the tournament and with Flag Football set to debut at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, this was seen as a crucial step.

"Since Flag Football will feature in the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, this was seen as the first step. The boys were motivated and it would have been a good test for the team to see where we stand against the world," he added.

Apart from increasing participation in international events, the AFFI is also planning to host continental-level events that will help raise more awareness about the game.

"Yes we have informally expressed our interest in hosting the tournament but as of now, no one else has been given the hosting rights, so hopefully we get the chance to host it next year," Sandeep said.

What is flag football?

Flag Football is a variant of American football, with the key difference being instead of tackling players to the ground, the defensive team must remove a flag or flag belt from the ball carrier, known as 'deflagging,' to stop the play.

It is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world and with its inclusion in the Olympics, the trajectory of the sport looks promising.

"In America and Europe, the sport is very popular. Last year the IOC (International Olympic Committee) approved its inclusion and in Los Angeles, Flag Football will be part of the Olympics. It is a good thing. It can help grow the sport in India. With the game being part of the Olympics, the sport can now get government funding which can help the players as well," he concluded.