Bhaichung Bhutia selected for FIFPro technical committee

Bhaichung Bhutia has been selected to serve on the technical committee of FIFPro, the world body for players, for a term of four years starting 11th November 2013. He will be the only representative from Asia in the six-man committee that has three from Europe, and one each from Asia, Africa and South America.

As part of his role, the major issues that will be dealt with and discussed are player safety, weather and playing conditions, types of playing pitches/surfaces, rule changes in the game etc. The committee will work closely with FIFA on all issues affecting professional footballers.

The FIFPro Technical Committee

1. Bhaichung Bhutia – President Football Players Association of India (FPAI), Former India Captain2. Geremi Njitap – Cameroon – Played 118 matches for Cameroon as well as Newcastle United, Chelsea and Real Madrid. Played 2002 and 2010 World Cups.3. Simon Barker – England – Played 10 years for Queens Park Rangers in the English League as well as represented England U-21. He has been a full time employee of the English PFA since retirement.4. Vladimir Leonchenko – Russia – Had a 16 year career in the Russian Premier League. Is the President of the Russian Association for Football Players and Coaches5. Jose Milton Melgar – Bolivia – Has played 89 times for Bolivia and has a 18 year club career across clubs in Bolivia and abroad. Played in the 1994 World Cup6. Gernot Zirngast – Austria – He is the President of the Austrian Player Association. A former player well known for the collective bargaining rights for players in Austria and abroad.

The appointment comes on the success and work that Bhaichung has put in to develop the FPAI. It is a great achievement for an Indian to be the only representative from Asia on the World Committee.