2 days on, football meet yet to kick off

For the second consecutive day, the UT Sports Department failed to hold matches of the 20th Administrator’s Challenge Cup All India Football Tournament, as players continue to undergo medical tests at local government hospitals.

The tourney, which was scheduled to be start from November 20, is expected to start on November 22 now. However, highly placed sources claimed that the process is likely to take another day. Meanwhile, the players reaching here alleged harassment on the name of ‘age verification’ medical tests.

“If the ossification test is correct, what’s the need of having date of birth certificates or passports or any other legal document. The organisers are making every effort to end the impasse, but there has to be some basis for conducting the medical tests,” said a player, seeking anonymity.

His teammate added, “We have reached here after travelling for two days. It’s been two days and we are sitting at the hospital, waiting for approval. What about our legal documents? Why anyone, who is overage, would come here and play to get a certificate that holds no value.”

The sources claimed that majority of the players are stated to have failed the ossification test — which is next to impossible. Since the medical board cannot be challenged by the organisers, the participating teams are planning to challenge the decision with the AIFF. Not only the players, but the organisers are also in a dilemma over the issue.

“We have been sitting for long hours discussing the event for two days now. It’s happening because of one individual whose ward was not selected in the academy. False allegations were made on the entire administration. I don’t think, this tournament is going to happen and any team would come here to play on future,” said an official, adding that he has never experienced such an scenario in an invitational event.