Srinagar, Apr 19: J&K’s former International footballer and current member of AIFF Technical Committee Arun Malhotra has said that institutions like J&K Bank and J&K Police should establish women’s football teams for the development of Women’s football in J&K.
“Many people have been cynical about women’s football in the recent debacle in senior national women’s football, I thought it better to look at the positive aspect of the game which would enhance the graph of success in J&K women’s football. We cannot expect overnight to excel in performance. There is a long way to go for women’s football which needs a high number of women coaches and referees and even administrators with good incentives,” Arun said.
“Most importantly, we need more women’s teams and tournaments in J&K. Along with this, remember most of our footballers come from economically backward families. So they don’t have enough nutrition which affects their health a lot. We must cover that aspect as well,” Arun said.
The former India footballer said that in order to broaden the sports culture among women folk all stakeholders have to take some initiatives so that we could provide a sports atmosphere to women folk in J&K.
“Since J&K Bank and Police were among the first to establish a men’s football team they should now take initiative to frame women’s football team to fulfil aspirations of women sports persons in J&K. I urge Jammu and Kashmir Bank to start an exclusive academy and football team for women in Jammu and Kashmir. This will be the biggest boost to encourage girl children to take sports as a profession as well. Likewise, I strongly recommend J&K police should frame a women’s football team in JK so that women sports persons could secure their jobs to pursue their ambition to be a footballer,” he said.