JAMMU: Appealing to the Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor to intervene into the ongoing controversy among the functioning of the Jammu and Kashmir Football Association (JKFA), the Jammu District Football stakeholders on Wednesday held the Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council responsible for the prevailing ‘mess’ in the sport of football.
Lashing out at the senior officials of the J&K Sports Council here at a press conference held under the banner of District Football Association (DFA) Jammu and DFA Jammu Stakeholders, the ex-officio of J&K Football Association (JKFA) flanked by the DFA Jammu ad-hoc committee members alleged that those who are at the helm of affairs in the J&K Sports Council have damaged the sports including the cause of Football in Jammu and Kashmir particularly in Jammu region.
“By playing regional politics and dividing the Football Association and supporting non stakeholders and non sports persons to take the control of affairs of football in Jammu and Kashmir, the J&K Sports Council senior officials are playing a spoilsport,” Surinder Singh Bunty, former Treasurer JKFA told reporters.
He was flanked by Kuldeep Singh, veteran footballer and former Vice President JKFA, Narinder Gupta, former Chairman ad-hoc committee DFA Jammu along with footballers of national and international repute.
The members blamed the officials of the J&K Sports Council for allegedly damaging the cause of Football by engineering split in the association by supporting “unscrupulous” elements to take its control by adopting unethical and unconstitutional means resulting in the halt of activities of Football in the state particularly in Jammu region.
The footballers however, also expressed anguish over the autocratic functioning of officials alleging that they alleged they had visited them number of times and requested to streamline the functioning of JKFA by holding the General Body Elections as per the direction of High Court since July 2022 but instead, elections of district units were ordered to delay the process further.
The members claimed that despite repeated requests, no funds were released since 2021 to conduct football activities and instead ground charges were demanded for the same besides refusing to release any grant for organizing annual league tournaments for the last three years.
They also blamed the officials for running the Sports Council as a corporate body to mint money from the players belonging to middle class families.
“We appeal to the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha for intervening into the matter and take immediate steps to save the game of Football by removing such an arrogant officer who has been playing politics by supporting unscrupulous and non-sporting elements to take control of affairs of Football in Jammu region,” the members said.
Meanwhile Secretary J&K Sports Council, Nuzhat Gul when contacted, told UNI, “the football representatives visited my official seeking recognition of the ad-hoc committee, which was rejected because it does come under the ambit of J&K Sports Council.”
Alleging that a political pressure was built upon her by the members, Gul said that funds cannot be released in their favour unless General Body elections are conducted and secondly, the matters related to them falls in the purview of All India Football Federation (AIFF).
The Secretary also revealed that few members are also facing ‘corruption’ charges for which investigation is on and the J&K Sports Council is cooperating with the probing agency and submitting the records/documents from time to time.
On allegations of giving patronage to private clubs, she cleared, “Under ‘My Youth My Pride’ initiative, we support individual clubs with infrastructure to promote sports and we have clear directions from the government that unless the elected general body is not framed legally, government funds cannot be disbursed to any association.”
Gul however, stated that let the government decide on cleaning the ‘mess’.
On personal allegations levelled against her with name surfacing in RTIs and Court cases, she said that it is a part and parcel of the department working but where she is involved as an individual into it, need to be proved by the members of DFA Jammu.
Meanwhile in a handout issued by the ‘Jammu and Kashmir Football Association’ from Srinagar the members denounced claims made by former Treasurer JKFA terming it as baseless.
“It has come to our attention that the individual in question, who had obtained a stay on the elections of DFA Jammu, is now resorting to false accusations and creating unnecessary chaos,” read the handout.
“It is apparent that the individual is resorting to a false hue and cry to divert attention from the ongoing legal proceedings against him.The ex-officials of JKFA, including the former Treasurer, are currently facing an ACB in relation to the Mufti Memorial football tournament scam in Kashmir. Additionally, investigations into the Jammu version of the Mufti Memorial Football Tournament scam, as well as the Khelo India and Baby League events, are currently underway,” it stated.
Moreover, the handout said that the government is planning a special general audit of JKFA’s bank accounts from 2006 onwards to uncover any discrepancies that may exist. The ACB has been provided with all relevant evidence, including fake bills and records, by the J&K Sports Council, read the handout.
The handout issued by Nazir Ahmad Andrabi, Chairman (Elections/Day-to-day Affairs JKFA) urged the Lieutenant Governor of J&K to initiate fresh investigations into corruption within the football sector and the J&K Football Association. (UNI)
