UP drama hogs limelight on Day 1

Even as the Delhi CM inaugurated the Santosh Trophy in Delhi, a bunch of footballers from UP protested against the All India Football Federation, reports Jaydeep Basu.

There couldn't have been a more dramatic start to the IOC Santosh Trophy, which returned to the Capital after 60 years. Even as the Delhi Chief Minister Shiela Dixit inaugurated the tournament at the Ambedkar Stadium, a bunch of footballers from Uttar Pradesh marched into the Thyagraj Nagar Sports Complex, one of the four venues for the championships, with posters and banners displaying slogans against the All India Football Federation.

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These players formed a part of Uttar Pradesh Football Association -- one of the two teams from the state -- which claimed itself to be the actual 'representative' side to play the opening tie against Arunachal Pradesh. As the North Eastern state did not show up, the organisers were left grappling with the problem -- which faction should to be awarded the walk-over and three points.

The verdict finally went in favour of the team from Uttar Pradesh Football Sangh, which is recognised by the AIFF. While the match commissioner, SR Dev followed the official line, but for his mature handling of things the situation could have worsened. The rebel group from U-P wanted the match to be postponed as a verdict on the dispute is expected by Friday in a Benaras court.

The hostility between the two teams was quite evident as the officials of both groups passed remarks and hurled abuses at each other. Even as the match commissioner declared one group as the 'official' team, this group demanded the players of the other to vacate the ground. The AIFF officials simply called it a day and headed for the Ambedkar Stadium.