Praful Patel to look into Olympians' grievances

All India Football Federation (AIFF) stand-in president Praful Patel on Thursday promised to try and assuage the feeling of "hurt and humiliation" of the nine surviving members of the 1956 Melbourne Olympic squad who refused to accept the federation's "meagre" grant of Rs 25,000 each.

Patel said he has taken note of the grievances of the Olympians who were part of the team that finished fourth in Melbourne.

"I will look into it personally," Patel said.

AIFF secretary-general Alberto Coalco said the quantum of money was decided by the executive committee and the matter will go back to it for reconsideration.

Samar "Badru" Banerjee, the captain of the 1956 squad, dashed off a strongly-worded letter to Coalco, refusing to accept the cheques.

"We, the nine Olympians of the 1956 team, are very much shocked. We regret the way you have sent cheques of Rs 25,000 as grant from your executive committee. We are returning the cheques to you," said Banerjee's letter.

Banerjee said during a meeting with Colaco in Delhi in February, he had requested him to start a pension scheme for Olympians on the lines of the one introduced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for former internationals.

Banerjee went on to ask Colaco, "how do you expect that Olympians like us, who have crossed 70, will come before you and beg?"

Banerjee said he had made a number of phone calls to the AIFF secretary-general between February and July, reminding him about the pension scheme.