East Bengal knocks PM's door, seeks help for revival of Indian football

New Delhi: Concerned about Indian football's "decline for many years", East Bengal, one of the country's oldest clubs, on Thursday sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's urgent intervention to address the "unprecedented crisis", highlighted by the uncertainty over the fate of Indian Super League (ISL) and a sharp decline in investment in the sport.

In the letter, the 106-year-old club pointed out that the national team has slipped to 142nd in the latest FIFA rankings despite its illustrious past, which includes Asian Games gold medals in 1951 and 1962 and a bronze in 1970.

The Supreme Court is currently seized of the matter relating to the selection of a new commercial rights holder of the ISL after the tender floated by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) found no takers. The matter is likely to come up before the SC on Friday.

Interestingly, the Kolkata club is also a part of the 12 ISL teams which have filed a joint application for intervention before the SC, praying for a solution in the vexed issue arising out of the uncertainty in conducting the ISL season.

The club expressed concern that the ISL -- the country's top-tier league -- had still not begun this season, causing "deep distress" among players, clubs, officials and supporters.

"There is no clarity on when — or whether — it will commence. This uncertainty has created widespread anxiety and threatens the integrity and future of the sport," the letter signed by East Bengal Club president Murari Lal Lohia, stated.

East Bengal, which claims a support base of over 4.5 crore, said the deterioration in governance over the last four to five years had damaged the sport's ecosystem.

Despite football being one of India's most followed sports, the club said administrative paralysis and lack of investment had stalled progress.

The letter appealed to the Prime Minister to ensure the immediate commencement of the ISL and to help revive corporate investment and sponsorship, which it said had dipped sharply and was a major reason behind the current stalemate.

"Your guidance is urgently required to restore corporate confidence and ensure the smooth functioning of the league," the club said.

It also referenced the 2030 Commonwealth Games to be hosted in Ahmedabad, saying that strengthening football would be essential in the lead-up to such a major event.

The club said it has full faith in the Prime Minister's sporting vision and expressed hope that his intervention would help Indian football "reclaim its rightful place on the global stage." PTI AT PDS SSC SSC