Administrator’s Football Cup put off, players heartbroken

After exploring and exhausting all options to conduct the age verification test of players within a few days time, the UT Sports Department has finally decided to postpone the 20th Administrator’s Challenge Cup All India Football Tournament.

On the eve of the start of the tournament, which was scheduled to begin from November 20, the Punjab and Haryana High Court, while hearing a plea of parent whose ward was once not selected by the Department in the state-run academy, had ordered ossification test of all players before allowing their participation in the tournament, claimed sources.

On the court orders, the Sports Department had requested authorities at Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, and Government Multi Speciality Hospital, Sector 16, to conduct the test on 340 players (representing 17 teams) at the earliest.

After exhausting all means, the Department failed to conduct the test on all players by November 22 and decided to postpone the meet. In the 20-year history of the tournament, it’s for the first time that the meet has been postponed as medical tests could not be conducted.

“The doctors made their best efforts, but the test procedure is quite long. Due to the shortage of time, we decided to postpone the event. Many players from these teams are also participating in the nationals, scheduled later this month. We cannot keep on delaying the event at the cost of the future of the players,” said an official of the Sports Department.

The official added, “The results of the tests conducted, so far, were mixed and the same was informed to the players as well as team managements. They were obviously not happy as they were carrying all documents with them to challenge any adverse report. The teams alleged harassment this year.”

Notably, in the past, after consulting the physical examination of the players, the department had found many overage players and cancelled their participation. Not only the individual players, but the teams were also disqualified for allegedly fielding overage players. In 2018, a participating team, which was disqualified, had challenged the decision in the high court and got stay against the order.

“It’s disheartening that we had to spend time at hospitals rather than at the field. Experts should understand our emotions and if this all happened owing to an individual’s ego...then there’s no use of conducting such events,” said a player from outstation.

The UT Sports Department was scheduled to host the 20th Administrator’s Challenge Cup All India Football Tournament (U-17) from November 20 to 28, at the Sector 42 Sports Complex and Sector 46 Sports Complex. The fixtures of the tournament were also handed over to the participating teams. While the tournament was scheduled to start today, the proceedings were delayed after an order by the high court was released on November 19 evening.