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Footballers gather to form association
Some of India's best-known footballers from the past and the present, gathered under one roof and on one stage in Kolkata.
- NDTVSports
- Updated: February 25, 2007 10:35 AM IST
Read Time:2 min
Kolkata:
Some of India's best-known footballers from the past and the present, gathered under one roof and on one stage in Kolkata. The occasion was the official launch of the Indian football Players' Association, which seeks to work towards the welfare of the players and ensure that they're not treated unfairly by their respective clubs. Formed along the lines of England's Professional Footballers' Association, the FPA is the third such attempt to form a footballers' organisation in the country. The earlier associations in the 1980s and 1990s had become defunct without making much headway. "It is for the welfare of the players, welfare of Indian football as well and also for the players to feel that there is a parent body for them representing, working together with clubs, associations and country and develop Indian football," said Bhaichung Bhutia, member of the Indian football team. Membership Players registered with any state in the country are eligible for membership. Those playing in the National Football League will have to pay Rs 5000 annually. Those playing in the local Leagues will have to pay Rs 2000 a year in order to retain their membership. Bhutia, who has for years talked about the need for such a body, is heading the FPA while his teammate at Mohun Bagan Deepak Mondal is the secretary. "They can always come up with different problems and different issues, we will have right professional people coming and advising us on this issue. We are also working on ex footballers who are in physical and financial need," Bhutia said. Current India captain Shanmugam Venkatesh would be one of the vice-presidents while Raman Vijayan would be the treasurer.Topics mentioned in this article
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