Srinagar: Accepting its failure in the promotion and development of football in Srinagar, the District Football Association (DFA) Srinagar on Tuesday termed the ongoing Kashmir Super League (KSL) as a savior for football and much needed initiative.
KSL was launched last week with six franchisee team’s participating in the inaugural edition. The league is being organized by Private Company and has got full backing from DFA Srinagar and J&K Sports Council.
The initiative is being hailed by the footballers but there are also questions raised about the role of DFA Srinagar and its failure to conduct its own leagues this season so far. The questions are also been raised about the role of DFA Srinagar in the KSL management and its functioning.
Normally all the leagues World over in all the Sports disciplines are being held under the Governing bodies of particular sport. If the governing body doesn’t directly get involved with the leagues, it though receives royalty and also gets a say in the financial regulatory, technical and disciplinary conduct. However, DFA Srinagar has got no such role and DFA Srinagar itself confirmed that to KSW when the questions were asked.
“We are fully supporting the league as it is great initiative for the football and the footballers. As we know, during last 3-4 years, football has been in slumber in J&K and this league has been launched at perfect time and will revive the ailing football. We supported this league fully as we saw football and footballers welfare in it,” said DFA Srinagar Treasurer Zahoor Teli quoting DFA Srinagar President Bashir Malik.
When asked about the royalty and the involvement of DFA in financial regulatory and accountability of the league, Teli quoting Malik said, “We haven’t levied any fee or royalty on the league. This is the event conducted by Private Company and they have their own financial committee which looks after the accounts. DFA Srinagar has no role”.
In his statement DFA President has hailed Kashmir Super League football but at the same time has accepted his own failure as during last three years, the main football governing body of J&K which is DFA Srinagar is headed by him himself. DFA Srinagar is the main District body in entire J&K Football Association structure as it is the DFA Srinagar that is responsible for the conduct of Premier League, Professional League, A-Division League and B-Division league that involve all the top private and departmental teams of J&K.
As per his own statement football in J&K, particularly in Srinagar has been suffering during last 3-4 years but at the same time he is the main person governing and running the affairs. In that perspective it is his failure and now to overcome his own failure he has handed over football running affairs indirectly to a private company for the conduct of football.
Meanwhile KSL has six franchise teams owned by various corporate houses. Each team has got set of players who have been separated into various categories. As per official data provided, Diamond has got 5 players who each will receive 20000/- while as Gold of 6 players will receive 15000. The Silver category of 7 players will receive 10000. The Youth category of 2 players will receive 5000. Also they have 2 power players in the bracket.
While as the players will receive payments as per the data provided, the coaches, mentors and support staffs have to be dealt directly by the teams. The top level footballer will not receive more than 20000 salary and at the same time, coaches of some teams are receiving way more than that figure. While the aim and motive of the league is welfare of the footballers and particularly youngsters, it seems the actual windfall is for those who have been exploiting football for years now in J&K for their own good. In that context the aim and objective fails and its real failure will be on DFA Srinagar and not on KSL Organizers.