Integrity Score 230
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It was expected to be India’s hour of glory. On the contrary, it turned out to be the hour of shame for the football fraternity. The unprecedented exit of hosts India from the Women’s Asian Cup football tournament because of more than a dozen Covid 19 cases in their camp is certainly a new low for Indian football. It’s not because so many players have been infected with Covid – such things are sometimes unavoidable, especially given the current situation in India. But sad is the way the Indian football bosses conducted themselves while organizing the tournament; they seem were in a tearing hurry to host the event by hook or crook.
The Women’s Asian Cup began on January 20 in Mumbai and Pune and would continue till February 6. Sources say many in the All-India Football Federation (AIFF) were sceptical about the timing of the tournament as Covid cases were rising rapidly in India, especially in Maharashtra. They felt the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) should be requested to postpone the tournament by a few months to avoid any possible embarrassment that may be caused by the pandemic. But a section of the top bosses allegedly wanted the Cup to be played on schedule to score a few brownie points in front of senior FIFA and AFC officials. So, the slogan of “show must go on” was raised and it received some relaxations of covid protocols from the state as well as the union government.
The eagerness to host the meet right in the middle of the prevailing third wave has proved disastrous. Sadly, India are the first to be hit. They failed to field a side in the match against Chinese Taipei on January 23 and as per the tournament rules, India have now been forced to withdraw from the meet. It is indeed sad that while other 11 visiting teams will continue playing, the Indian girls will find themselves out of the show for something, which was not in their hands. Only if Indian football bosses had shown some restraints and postponed the tournament till situation improved in India!