Indian tennis icon Leander Paes, who will participate in the Olympics for the sixth time next year, said he is keen to promote Indian football, perhaps in the role of a brand ambassador.
|Last Updated: Sep 27, 2011, 06:24 PM IST|Source: Bureau
Kolkata: Indian tennis icon Leander Paes, who will participate in the Olympics for the sixth time next year, said he is keen to promote Indian football, perhaps in the role of a brand ambassador.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has also responded positively to Paes` proposal as the senior vice-president Subrata Dutta assured that he would consult with the AIFF President Praful Patel on the matter.
"We would be more than eager to have a world famous athlete like Leander on board. I will have a word with the President," said Dutta.
Talking to reporters on the sidelines of Indian Football Awards, organised by the Football Players` Association of India last night, the 12-time Grand Slam winner Paes said football is in his blood and he would like to motivate the youngsters to take up the sport.
"I`ve both Goan and Bengali genes, so football is in my blood. I would love to be associated with Indian football," said Paes.
"I remember as a young kid I used to spend a lot of time playing football. If I can motivate young children and show them that with a small ball they can travel the world, it will be really nice. I am willing to help in my own little way, if the football federation is looking for someone who can promote the brand," he added.
Paes said Bhaichung Bhutia, Jose Barreto and Beto are his favourite footballers in India.
The 38-year-old, who has recovered from his injury and is ready to return to competitive tennis next week, said the secret of his longevity in sport is his simple life.
"There is no shortcut to success. I don`t smoke and I lead a clean life. I will be featuring in my sixth Olympics (in London 2012), if I can motivate the youngsters to grow as athletes, I will be really happy.
"More and more youngsters should try to become good athletes, who can make India a sporting nation," he said.
PTI
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.