AIFF wants change in constitution before launching Vision Asia

New Delhi: Disappointed that Vision India programmes had been scrapped in Delhi and Tamil Nadu, the AIFF

has told the Asian Football Confederation to first ask the state associations to change their constitutions before launching Vision Asia projects. The AFC had yesterday scrapped Vision India programmes in Delhi and Tamil Nadu launched under Vision Asia project for development of football mainly due to delay in amendment of their constitutions to conform with FIFA standard. "It is unfortunate that the Vision India-Delhi and Vision India-Tamil Nadu were dropped. The main reason for dropping these projects was non implementation of some of the AFC Vision requirements: mainly bringing the Association Constitution in line with the FIFA, AFC and AIFF Constitution and starting a proper state/city League," AIFF General secretary Alberto Colaco said. "As the amendment of the Constitution seems to be the major hurdle everywhere and this is the main requirement by AFC, we have requested AFC to see that the Constitution of the Vision States is amended before launching the Vision project," he said. Vision India programme in Delhi was launched in 2004 but the inaction by Delhi Soccer Association led to the national capital losing a chance to raise its football standard. With the stripping of Vision Asia Projects from Delhi and Tamil Nadu, only Manipur and Kerala remained the two states in the country where a full-fledged programme is being run. The same project was launched in Goa last year while West Bengal is in line for its implementation. In fact, Delhi and Manipur were among the first projects launched in Asia which has 11 different elements for specific focus ranging from marketing, coach education, competition, referees, women`s football, youth and grassroot development. Manipur is running the project admirably well and it has got praise from the AFC itself while Kerala is picking up steam. Vision Asia, which was started in 2004, is being implemented in six geographical zones -- West Asia, South and Central Asia, East Asia, China and India. China and India were treated as an individual entity as both countries, by virtue of their huge population, presented an immense potential for progress to the top echelons of not just Asian, but international football. PTI