AIFF mulls hosting women`s int`l football tourney, friendlies

New Delhi: Trying to bring women`s football on track after India were delisted from the FIFA rankings last month, the AIFF is mulling over organising an international tournament every alternate year besides plans of the national team playing friendly matches against neighbouring countries.Suggestions to host the international tournament and play friendlies to return to the FIFA charts were discussed at an AIFF Women`s Ad-hoc Committee meeting here and the national federation said it would consider them for implementation.

The meeting also constituted a new ad-hoc committee for women besides also deciding to hold Women`s Senior National Championships 2009-10 in Manipur in January next year. The 2009-10 sub-junior and junior nationals will be held in Uttarakhand and Cuttack (Orissa) respectively from September 20 and October 20 this year while Gurgaon will host a women`s football festival in November. The new eight-member ad-hoc committee will have AIFF acting president Praful Patel as its chairman, one member each as conveners from five zones -- north, south, west, east and north east -- besides a deputy chairman and a general convener. Former India international from Bengal Shanti Mullick will be the selection committee chairperson. Bureau Report