The Indian football community was elated on Wednesday as the sports ministry gave the green light to both the men's and women's teams to participate in the upcoming Asian Games.
The highly anticipated continental event is scheduled to take place in Hangzhou, China, starting from September 23. Initially, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) had hesitated to clear the football teams for the Games, citing their rankings not being among the top-8 in Asia. However, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) appealed to the Sports Ministry, leading to this favorable decision.
Expressing his gratitude, national senior team head coach Igor Stimac, who had earlier sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention, thanked the authorities for the clearance. He plans to use the upcoming King's Cup in Thailand to prepare the players for the Asian Games, believing in the potential of India's young talents.
With the FIFA rankings reflecting their progress, the Indian team under Croatian coach Igor Stimac has entered the sub-100 club once again after winning the SAFF Championship, where they played against Lebanon and Kuwait.
AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey also hailed the momentous occasion, emphasizing the importance of this opportunity for Indian football. He expressed gratitude to the Government of India and the Ministry of Sports & Youth Affairs for their support and special compensation for Indian Football at the 19th Asian Games. The AIFF is optimistic about sending their first team to the Asian Games, led by the inspirational skipper, Sunil Chhetri.
This clearance has further fueled the recent rise of Indian football and is expected to boost the players' morale in all upcoming events. As Indian football continues to develop and grow, the sport's stakeholders are committed to nurturing and enhancing the ecosystem within the country.
