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Kalyan Chaubey, the president of the All India Football Federation (AIFF), has recently engaged with the prime stakeholders of football and the officials in Jammu and Kashmir. According to a statement issued, his recent visit to Jammu and Kashmir was aimed at reviving the region’s once-glorious football legacy.
Jammu & Kashmir Football Association officials held a pivotal meeting today with the President of the All India Football Federation (AIFF), Mr. Kalyan Chaubey, to address pressing issues and chart a strategic course for the development of football in J@K.
— Jammu and Kashmir Football Association - Official (@jkfaofficial) January 6, 2025
ā¦@kalyanchaubeyā© pic.twitter.com/jpcKTyAY9c
The AIFF chief spared a day of his personal visit to meet the Real Kashmir FC owners, club proprietors, former officials of the Jammu and Kashmir Football Association (JKFA), former J&K Sports Council members, current members of the J&K Sports Council, sports journalists, coaches, players, and also the current officials from the District Football Association (DFA) in Srinagar and the JKFA.
Since 2022, the non-election for the JFKA has significantly halted the football administration and development in the region. The district-level elections have been conducted, but the JFKA elections have taken a stall due to ongoing court cases and political tensions.
The official statement
The official statement reads:
Since 2022, J&K Football Association is without any elected body. While the district-level elections mainly in Kashmir province were held, the central body elections couldn’t be held due to various issues that include court cases,
The statement further stated:
In the absence of the JKFA central body, AIFF had to deal with the J&K Sports Council, and in fact, the recent J&K Santosh Trophy team was directly handled by the Council..
The statement also added that the inadequate organization within the JKFA has significantly impacted football in Jammu and Kashmir, which also obstructs the AIFF's efforts to promote development in the region.
AIFF chief shows his personal desire to see J&K football grow
Although Chaubey visited J&K for personal reasons, he dedicated a day to his ambition to see the football in J&K initiate a significant growth. The AIFF President, during his meeting with stakeholders, made it clear that he intends to get a deeper insight into the trouble that JFKA is facing, and how it can be resolved.
Chaubey asked for information from the stakeholders regarding various court cases related to JKFA. The stakeholders and officials also conveyed their concerns regarding the state of football in J&K. The AIFF President mentioned that he has personally witnessed the glory days of J&K Football and he hopes to contribute to the revival of its long-lost glory.
Chaubey also congratulated the Jammu and Kashmir Football Team for qualifying for the next edition of the National Games after their top-8 finish in the 2024-25 National Championship for Santosh Trophy.
Kalyan Chaubey has also expressed intent to return to J&K in the future when he plans to meet with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to further discuss the roadmap for football’s revival in the region.