Big step forward: AIFF to establish a centralised Indian players registration system

AIFF finally making some positive moves

In a step which is coming years too late in Indian football, the AIFF have cleared and now finally want to implement a centralised player registration system to enable the federation to crack down on overage players in youth competitions from the local district to the top national level besides being able to ensure a security cover for players.The unique players’ identity cards would have to be registered with their respective state association, as well as the AIFF and the federation is set to look for an internationally reputed software company to manage the database.The players’ registration would at first be for boys and men, but the AIFF hopes to implement a similar system for girls and women in the future as well.

I had made the suggestion for such a players’ registration system way back in 1999 to the then AIFF leadership, but sadly it has taken them 14 years to realise that such a system is needed to streamline the database of professional, amateur, and youth footballers in the country.

But there is an issue already brewing in the players’ registration system regarding the amount the yearly registration of a player would cost.

The annual fee has been set as follows:

- Rs. 15,000 for Professional Foreign Players- Rs. 10,000 for Indian I-League Players- Rs. 5,000 for Indian I-league Second Division Players- Rs. 5,000 for State League Players- Rs. 5,000 for Amateur Foreign Players- Rs. 2,000 for State Association players- Rs. 500 for District League players- Rs. 200 for Academies/Football Schools (from 12 years of age onwards)

The fees of Rs. 15,000 for foreigners and Rs. 10,000 for Indians both playing in the I-League looks fine to me, then these are players earning in lakhs, so such a fee would not hurt them; but the bracket below does look initially to be a little high as in some states, the state leagues are completely amateur and often play for close to nothing.

The Goa Football Association and the Indian Football Association (West Bengal) have already raised their voices against the players’ registration system for different reasons.

But such a system is needed in India, so that we actually get to know how many players are playing football across the country.

One hopes that an online database would be created and then match stats could be made available online.