FIFA launches GOAL 2011 for football revival in India

Kolkata, Apr 15 (UNI) FIFA President Joseph Blatter today launched 'Goal 2011' project for India under which a committee represented by FIFA, AFC and AIFF will look into the maladies affecting the growth of the game in this country and try to provide time bound solutions for it.

The project titled ''Win in India with India'' under Vision Asia development scheme is the second project in India that will run for four years with a target of 2011 to see the curve of Indian football rising upwards.

Blatter, who witnessed the East Bengal-Mohun Bagan tie today at the Salt Lake Stadium, was impressed by what he saw in terms of enthusiasm and the crowd participation and hoped that would translate to development of football in the country.

Later addressing a press meet at a hotel in the city, Blatter said, ''We have not come here to fight against an established sport in this country. I am here to speak on my game. It is football. Some call it soccer. We call it world sport. The ball is a symbol of the globe and its movement is the sign of its progress.'' Talking about the development of football in this country, he said, ''If football is to grow here, it has to become a part of the social life of the people. We are here to guide you on how to go and where to go. You have to develop the administrative structure and for a pyramid like infrastructure in which football starts from schools and spreads through zone, province to the national level.'' ''We will form a working group with representatives from FIFA, AFC and AIFF and try to draw an inventory of all the matters concerning the game and fix a time table for addressing each issue. It will take into consideration the financial help that is needed and how you raise the money through the governmental and corporate support.

''Football cannot grow without political help and financial support from business houses. It is needed to develop the game at all levels and not just club level,'' Blatter said.

Asked if FIFA would increase its grant for India, he said, ''Under the solidarity support of GOAL project India gets 400,000 dollar which India will get under the second project that launches tomorrow. In addition under the development programmes we are looking at all other fields like marketing, refereeing and development of administrative setup and infrastructure. First we will draw up the inventory and if money is needed it can be generated. But it would be better if you also develop the means of generating your own funds.'' Then quoting Confucious he added, ''If you want to give your brother a fish, teach him how to catch one. We are here to help you develop yourself and not dictate terms to you.'' MORE UNI