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| December 23, 2006 | Saturday | Zilhaj 01, 1427 |
FIFA ready to boost Indian football
GENEVA, Dec 22: FIFA President Sepp Blatter said on Friday that world football's governing body will launch a campaign next year to encourage the growth of the sport in India.
“All I can say now is ‘stay tuned’ -- years from now, people will look back and see 2007 as the start of something remarkable for our sport in India,” Blatter said.
The world's second most populous nation with some 1.08 billion inhabitants, India is historically more inclined to cricket, and the ten team national league struggles to attract funding and interest.
Blatter met an Indian delegation in Zurich on Thursday led by All India Football Federation chiefs and Minister of Information Priya Ranjan Das Munsi to draw up the plan to develop football infrastructure, competitions and related business.
“India is a country with an amazing potential for growth of the beautiful game,” said Blatter. “It is home to 20 percent of the world's population and deserves particular attention from world football's governing body.”
India failed to qualify for the 2007 Asian Cup, ending bottom of their group with no points in six matches, and 24 goals against with just two scored. FIFA currently ranks India's national side as 157th in the world.
Yet, India was rated as a powerful force in the early years of the Asian Confederation, ending runners-up to Israel in the 1964 Asian Cup, and twice winning medals in the Asian Games in the 1950s.—AFP
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