The once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the 42 under-17 girl students coached by Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) to play some special matches in connection with the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2022 looks improbable following the suspension of All India Football Federation (AIFF) by the world governing body for football.
Similarly, the ₹3Cr-worth revamp work of Nerul-based Yashwantro Chavan football ground and the lakhs of rupees spent on beautifying and publicising the event around the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup may have gone waste. The city had also installed several football murals at prime locations.
DY Patil Stadium in Nerul was to have hosted 10 matches in the tournament in October.
FIFA suspended All India Football Federation (AIFF) for ‘undue influence from third parties’. The third party is in reference to the committee of administrators constituted by the Supreme Court to run AIFF until the new president was elected.
While the civic officials are hoping that the suspension is lifted, uncertainty over their students’ chances to experience international-level games is not ruled out.
Kajal Saroj, 15, a district-level football player of NMMC school who was all excited to get free coaching in the sport, a new jersey and football kit from NMMC earlier this year, is disheartened.
“It is indeed a one-of-its-kind opportunity and we were all looking forward to being a part of it. The suspension is more worrying for me as this would have been the last time I’d have got to play the game as I will be passing out of the school next year,” she said.
The civic administration was determined to play the perfect host for the grand event. It is now uncertain to unroll any of its plans and is waiting for official confirmation.
NMMC, since 2018, has consistently incorporated important policy decisions to promote FIFA events. In April, the administration had even hosted a football carnival along with the local organisation committee wherein 500 school students participated.
“This being a very prestigious event, there were multiple means worked out to promote it. We have read about the reports of the suspension by FIFA but there has been no official intimation about the same, therefore we are still waiting and hoping that it has no impact on the matches to be played in the city, “said the NMMC commissioner, Abhijit Bangar.
This year, the focus of NMMC was on enhancing the traffic management, providing more parking spots, working on the measures to be taken in event of any disaster and strengthening the overall sanitation system as international delegates were expected.
“Since most of the beautification work with football theme was done during the previous FIFA events this year, we were looking to make the environment more conducive by upgrading the facilities needed and certainly by engaging in more publicity works. We are now waiting for an official confirmation, only then will we undertake any further planning,” said an official from the engineering department.
In the event of FIFA revoking the suspension and matches held as per schedule, then NMMC is said to require only 30 days to get things moving. In Navi Mumbai, there are a total of three grounds used for training and two more are in Kharghar.
Terming the suspension as extremely disappointing is football coach and secretary of Thane Football Association (TFA), Sunil Poojari. “Our association was very much involved in all of the preparatory work done by NMMC to promote FIFA in the city. We had conducted the women’s league matches for which even coaches were provided by TFA. Thirty-two municipal teachers were given elementary training in the sport. I sincerely hope that the suspension gets sorted and all the girls who have been practicing for the matches get the opportunity to play.”