PUNE If you do not know soccer trac, you, as a Pune District Football Association (PDFA) club, as a club player, or even as football enthusiast, will not know the schedule for football in Pune nor the rules which govern the league.
Of the 212 clubs under the PDFA, across four divisions, a straw poll conducted by HT revealed that neither the club offcials nor the players were aware that the PDFA rules existed on the website.
If they did know, none of the clubs or players HT polled admitted to the fact.
Vice-president of PDFA, Pyarelal Choudhary, says, “I cannot take 212 printouts of the rules and regulations and give them to all the teams playing in the league. It is better if all of them just visit the website and go through everything over there.”
A little over two months have passed by since the PDFA league commenced.
In December 2019, PDFA released draws for the first and the third divisions, which were a “tentative” and “incomplete” fixture list. Since then the second division has also commenced.
“Last season, the registration fee was ₹10,000 for the Super Division. This year, it was hiked to ₹15,000. We have not been given any explanation as to why the fee has been hiked. Taking such a fee for registration, we are not given any facilities; no medical aid, no food, nothing,” complains Vijay Arnold, president, Fatima FC.
{{/usCountry}}“Last season, the registration fee was ₹10,000 for the Super Division. This year, it was hiked to ₹15,000. We have not been given any explanation as to why the fee has been hiked. Taking such a fee for registration, we are not given any facilities; no medical aid, no food, nothing,” complains Vijay Arnold, president, Fatima FC.
{{/usCountry}}CMS Falcons president, Shanup Nair, has been at odds with the PDFA management for some time.
CMS Falcons have three teams who play in the PDFA Leagues. Their main team is in the Super Division, while the ‘B’ and ‘C’ teams play in the second and third division, respectively.
Nair’s list of issues is exhaustive. “Prior to the start of every season, the PDFA hosts an annual general meeting (AGM) which comprises PDFA officials and officials from teams participating. The meeting is specifically organised to confirm the updated rules and regulations; and to confirm promotion and relegation of teams. CMS Falcons, DMR FC and Strikers FC, were not informed of the AGM this season,” Nair claims.
“The entity (PDFA) has an official email ID, but can we send our requests and complaints via email? No. The governing body asks everyone to give them a hard copy of every request we want to file,” claims Nair.
Fabian Bramane, secretary, Shivneri FC (second division), says: “Our team’s name is in the draw, but since we have raised some issues against the PDFA, we have not been given a single match to play... yet.”
The PDFA response, as per Choudhary, is: “I can say that it is absolutely nonsensical. All the names are present in the draws and as and when their fixtures arrive, they will play. Out of 212 clubs under PDFA, there are five teams who cause unnecessary trouble every season. All the other 207 clubs are happy and satisfied”.
Mohammed Ali Shaikh, secretary, Dastur Meher road FC, a lower division club, says, “Last year, the registration fee was ₹2000 (third division), and this season it is ₹4000. If they hiked it and offered us a better tournament, I would happily pay it. But unfortunately, there is nothing right in the league. My team says that it feels like playing on a beach, playing on the Dobarwardi ground. There is no ambulance present near the ground, and there are no medical kits.”
Grounds for the beautiful game
While three divisions of the PDFA League are currently playing, the top-flight games in Pune, the Super Division, will not be conducted on the PDFA ground in Dobarwadi, because of its substandard surface.
The ground at Dobarwwadi was badly damaged during the monsoon season last year. The Super Division was conducted on the BEG ground last season.
“We have received a telephonic confirmation from the Maharashtra Commissioner of Sports for use of the Balewadi stadium. Apart from that, we have also received a confirmation from BEG to use their ground. The only factor is that both the grounds will be available in the first or second week of February, so we will start the Super Division then,” says the PDFA.
Referees’ association
The PDFA does not have a referees’ association. According to the Western Indian Football Association (WIFA), every district football association should have a referees’ association.
What PDFA has got right
PDFA, vice-president, Pyarelal Choudhary, says:
“We are aiming to start the Super Division at two different locations, one of which will hopefully be the Balewadi Stadium. Both locations will be available next month and we are aiming to start the top-flight matches every weekend from the first or second week of February.”
“The PDFA leagues are on at four different grounds. We are conducting under-8, under-10, and under-12 league matches at three different locations, while the first, second, and third division matches are taking place at the Dobarwadi ground.”
“Pune is the only city in Maharashtra to conduct a league tournament for the under-8s, under-10s and under-12s. We have named it the Pune Youth League.”
PDFA women’s league
PDFA, vice-president, Pyarelal Choudhary, says:
“We are aiming to start the PDFA Women’s League shortly at the Royal Football Academy, near Dhanori.”
“Pune district won the WIFA Inter-District sub-junior girls football championship recently.”