I-League top brass to meet J&K government officials

Kolkata : The I-League top brass is scheduled to meet Jammu and Kashmir senior government officials on Wednesday in Srinagar to check if things are in order ahead of the state hosting top division matches for the first time.

It was approved on the sidelines of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) League Committee meeting that league committee chairman and AIFF senior vice-president Subrata Dutta and CEO Sunando Dhar will visit Srinagar on Wednesday to take stock of the work being done ahead of Real Kashmir FC's first home game later this year.

The eleventh edition of the I-League will start in the last week of October, it was also decided in the meeting.

Real Kashmir, in May, became the first football club from Jammu and Kashmir to qualify for the country's top tier I-League after they won the second division league by beating Delhi side Hindustan FC 3-2.

"We are very excited that a team from Kashmir will play in the I-League. All top I-League teams will also play in Kashmir which is great. We want to give the football loving people of Kashmir a great experience and so we are meeting government officials tomorrow to see if everything is in order. They have assured full assistance," I-League CEO Dhar told IANS.

They are expected to meet, among others, the advisor to the Jammu & Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik.

Real Kashmir will play their home matches at the TRC Ground, which the I-League officials will also inspect.

"Preparations are going on well. Everything is in order," a club source said.

Among other decisions taken in the league committee meeting, the request of Churchill Brothers to be allowed in the I-League was discussed.

The Committee considered the request and after due deliberation, the Committee decided to place the issue in the Emergency Committee who will take the final decision on a later date.

An AIFF statement also stated that on the basis of DSK Shivajians' plea, the governing body will go through with an Academy Accreditation inspection.

As per the star-rating, they'll be allowed to take part in the youth leagues next season.

The AIFF is in a process to formulate a professional as well as an amateur player contract template which is to be circulated amongst the clubs. The same would be enforced in the next edition of the league.