Stimac seeks PM's intervention for football team's participation at Asian Games

Indian menrsquos football team head coach Igor Stimac on Monday requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene for the national football teams participation at Asian Games 2023 despite not meeting the selection criteriaThe All India Football Federation AIFF had planned that Stimac would take an Under23 side to the Asian GamesHowever since the Indian football team does not meet the Sports Ministrys criteria of being ranked among the top8 sides it is set to miss the continental eventI wanted to bring to your immediate attention that our U17 team from 2017 which also gave a great performance at the U23 World Cup qualifiers and is one very talented team is now being deprived from participating in the Asian games Stimac wrote in a lengthy social media postA humble appeal and sincere request to Honourable Prime Minister Sri narendramodi ji and Hon Sports Minister ianuragthakur to kindly allow our football team to participate in the Asian games We will fight for our nationrsquos pride and the flag Jai HindIndianFootball pictwittercomwxGMY4o5TNmdash Igor Scarontimac stimac_igor July 17 2023Besides Modi Stimac also appealed to Sports Minister Anurag ThakurThis team really needs and deserves the participation The reasons given are unjust and as Indias national team coach I felt its important to immediately bring this matter to your and the Honble Sports Minister Anurag Thakurs knowledgeSo that you could intervene and help the team participate in the Asian GamesIndia is currently ranked 18th among countries under the Asian Football ConfederationAs our own ministry is denying the participation on the context of ranking whereas the fact is that our football team is better ranked than some of the other sports teams which have been allowed participation in the Asian GamesAlso history and statistics are testimony to the fact that football is one sport where a lower ranked team has a chance to beat the top ranked teams the Croatian wroteIn a letter sent to Indian Olympic Association IOA and all the National Sports Federations NSFs the Sports Ministry has said that for team events only those sports which have achieved a ranking up to eighth among participating countries of Asia in the last one year should be considered for participation in Asian GamesSince 2002 football at the Asian Games has been an U23 affair with three players above that age being permitted in a teamIndia hosted the U17 FIFA World Cup in 2017 and invested heavily in building a very fine new generation of playersYou have always supported Indias dream of playing in FIFA World Cup one day and I am certain that if we have your continuous support in the manner we have received till date the day is not far when we will be at the global stage participating in the most prestigious tournamentsWe as a national team have worked extremely hard in the last 4 years and managed some great results proving that we can achieve more if we get the support from all stakeholders he said in his request to the Prime MinisterAlso Read India can win medal in mens doubles at Asian Games Leander PaesThere is a provision in the Sports Ministrys instructions sent to the Indian Olympic Association IOA and NSFs which could give a ray of hope to the football squadldquoWhere in the opinion of the experts of specific sports disciplines and that of Sports Authority of India participation of individuals and teams in relaxation of the above criteria top 8 is recommended with justifiable reasons the same will be considered in the Ministry for appropriate decision the ministry letter saidIt was only last week that Modi had spoken about French footballer Kylian Mbappe being a superhit among the youth in India and that the World Cup winner is probably known to more people in India than in FranceYour speech about football and Mbappe in your recent visit to France also touched all Indians dreaming and rooting for Indian footballSo my humble appeal and sincere request on behalf of the entire Indian football fraternity to you to kindly allow our football team to participate in the Asian Games Stimac concludedThe Asian Games 2023 will start from September 23 in HangzouWith PTI inputs