The assurance came as a shot in the arm for the AFA, which had found itself in a fix for funds to prepare venues after allotting the preliminary round matches to seven different locations across the state.
The AIFF had suggested that the AFA host the preliminary cluster leagues at two venues in order to cut costs for preparation of grounds and dressing rooms, apart from travel expenses, medical expenses and other such costs. “However, the AFA decided to host it at seven venues across the state in order to ensure that our purpose of promoting football in the state is served,” said AFA secretary Ankur Dutta. The preliminary leagues, divided into eight clusters, will be held at Mangaldoi, Sivasagar, Tinsukia, Kokrajhar, Nagaon, Bongaigaon and Guwahati from Friday. From the quarter-finals which start on May 19, all matches will be held in Guwahati.
The AFA remained non-committal about its affiliated district units who were allotted the cluster leagues as regards funds for local transport of teams, ground and dressing rooms preparation and other expenses in the official notification. “However we had been unofficially assured by the AFA that efforts would be made to provide funds to meet these expenses,” Nowgong Sports Association secretary Pradip Hazarika said.
Confirming the development, Dutta today told The Telegraph, “We had submitted an estimated budget proposal of about Rs 12 lakh as expenses for the seven venues to the AIFF and I have been verbally assured today of a certain amount of funds for every venue. The AIFF will send the official communication by this evening.”
“He has, however, ‘not assured of the quantum of funds’ to be provided by the AIFF. The AFA has also volunteered to host the Cluster I and Cluster V matches here itself as a cost-cutting measure,” Dutta added.
The AFA has submitted a total budget of Rs 90 lakh to the AIFF for hosting the tournament of which, according to the tournament rules, the AIFF is supposed to fund 90 per cent raising funds from the official telecast rights holders. According to Dutta, the ground preparation in most of the venues would not involve much money “because in venues like Kokrajhar, Guwahati, Nagaon, Tinsukia and Bongaigaon, the grounds and dressing rooms are well-maintained”. The districts concerned, however, feel it would involve between Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1.5 lakh in each venue.
“Being a pioneer sports body in the state, we will have to host the league even by spending from our coffers or raising it locally,” said Hazarika. Some of the district bodies felt it would be difficult for them to raise the funds locally and neither did they have adequate funds at their disposal to host the leagues without funding from the AFA.