Singh claimed that union minister of law and justice Rijiju 'exhorted' the state association members to vote against Bhutia
Football was not very close to Sunil Chhetri's heart during his days as a bubbly teenager with proclivity for pranks. He was only looking to use the sport as a vehicle to gain entry to a reputed college and continue his education.
Bhaichung Bhutia, India's iconic former football captain, is set to try his political luck again, this time in his native state of Sikkim, as he plans to contest the assembly elections due this year.
The Blue Tigers held their first training session in Vietnam on Monday evening at the Nam Dinh Sports Palace Ground and will have four more full sessions before taking on the hosts on Saturday.
Opposition from national football coach Bob Houghton and captain Bhaichung Bhutia has led to a rethink by the All India Football Federation on the five-foreigner quota in the I-League. The AIFF has also sought views of state associations on the issue.
Bhaichung Bhutia will have a straight fight with former Mohun Bagan and East Bengal goalkeeper Kalyan Chaubey.
Lallianzuala Chhangte was named the AIFF Men's Footballer of the Year, on the back of his impressive performance in the Indian Super League (ISL) and for the national team.
'We want more and more teams to join the I-League and ISL. With this, the two competitions will get stronger. We need more teams so that more players get chances'
The memory of their nightmarish defeat to Mohun Bagan fresh in their minds, East Bengal will take on an upbeat Salgaocar in their round five I-League encounter at Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Salt Lake in Kolkata on Thursday.
Olympic medallists Vijay Kumar and Yogeshwar Dutt will be jointly conferred the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award -- the country's highest sporting honour -- while an unprecedented 25 sportspersons will be bestowed upon the Arjuna awards this year.
Steven Dias and Sunil Chetri scored a brace and N P Pradeep and skipper Bhaichung Bhutia chipped in with a goal each as India started their Nehru Cup campaign with a bang.
The elections to 32 assembly constituencies in Sikkim were held simultaneously with the first phase of Lok Sabha elections on April 19.
Former Indian football captain, Bhaichung Bhutia inaugurated the first ever Sikkim Paragliding Festival by taking the first jump from a cliff in Gangtok.
Bhaichung Bhutia struck a brace to help Mohun Bagan beat Air India 2-0 and earn their maiden win in the I-League.
'Virat Kohli is very close to me, understands me'
Ahead of this election, the alliance between the BJP and the SKM had broken down. One reason is the fear that like Article 370, Article 371F might also be changed.
Mohun Bagan on Thursday defeated Churchill Brothers 2-1 in their 14th round tie of the I-league in Kolkata.
All the 23 national footballers and support staff, who were in Doha for the Asian Cup, have sent a signed letter to AIFF president Praful Patel, saying Houghton did not use racially abusive language against Indian referee Dinesh Nair, and all the allegations against him are false.
Kolkata's dream date with Pele and other former World Cup stars on January 23 was put off because of 'unavoidable circumstances', the organisers said on Sunday.
As the Indian football team gears up to lock horns with German giants Bayern Munich in Bhaichung Bhutia's farewell match, Climax Lawrence feels former coach Bob Houghton has instilled enough confidence in the side to take on any opposition.
India's greatest ever Olympian Sushil Kumar strongly feels that panels similar to one headed by Justice RM Lodha to clean up the Board of Control for Cricket in India mess, is required to bring in more accountability and transparency in functioning of National Sports Federations (NSF).
Newly-appointed India football coach Armando Colaco says he wants to apply the 'possession football' he employs with his club, Dempo, but clarified that he had not talked about playing like FC Barcelona.
Indian football icon Bhaichung Bhutia said the national team should be given enough time in order to make an impact on the international arena.
Taking a leaf out of the Indian cricket board's book, the All India Football Federation is mulling hiring an experienced foreign doctor for its national team, which is currently undergoing a preparatory camp in Dubai for the January 7-29 Asian Cup in Doha.
Indian striker Sunil Chhetri was awarded the AIFF Player-of-the-Year award during the farewell exhibition match of Bhaichung Bhutia against German giants Bayern Munich in New Delhi.
Mahesh Gawli was one of the few senior players who escaped coach Armando Colaco's axe but the veteran defender feels that infusing young blood is the right way to go in the current scenario of Indian football.
Defending champions India lost 0-1 to Maldived in the final of the SAFF championships.
After a 5-3 drubbing against arch-rivals Mohun Bagan, East Bengal coach Subhash Bhowmick said he should quit the job taking moral responsibility of the defeat.
Promising striker Mohammed Rafi got the axe as India on Monday announced a 23-member squad, to be captained by Bhaichung Bhutia, for the Asian Cup football tournament starting on January 7 in Doha, Qatar.
Team manager Pradeep Chowdhury's out-of-the-blue decision to part ways with the Indian football squad has not gone down well with national players, who are preparing in Dubai for the Asian Cup, scheduled to be held in Doha from January 7.
This was the second executive committee meeting of the new dispensation headed by president Kalyan Chaubey and secretary general Prabhakaran.
A missed penalty from midfielder Marcos Pereira in the first half proved expensive as Federation Cup champions Mohun Bagan went down 0-1 to Al Karama in the opening Group D encounter of the AFC Cup at the Khaled Ibn Al Waleed Stadium on Tuesday night.
Leaders Mahindra United conceded a last minute goal to finish 1-1 with three-time champions Mohun Bagan.
East Bengal wasted opportunities galore as bottom-rung Sporting Clube de Goa held the local side 1-1 in their round 23 I-League match at Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Friday.
East Bengal striker Yusif Yakubu battled through the emotional upheavel of losing his mother on Friday morning and guided his team to a come-from-behind 3-2 win over defending champions Churchill Brothers.
The Brazilian striker scored twice in a 3-0 win over Mohammedan Sporting in the National Football League.
Visitors East Bengal overcame their injury woes to hand Air India their second consecutive defeat, by a solitary goal, in the seventh round I-League match at the Cooperage in Mumbai on Saturday.
East Bengal squandered chances galore and ended up a playing a goal-less draw against JCT in their round three I-League encounter at the flood-lit Yuba Bharati Krirangan (YBK) in Kolkata on Sunday.
Scoring a goal in each half, star-studded Mohun Bagan defeated Viva Kerala 2-0 in the 11th round of the ONGC I-League tie at the Corporation Stadium on Sunday.
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