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What’s the story?
The President of West Bengal’s Indian Football Association (IFA), Subrata Dutta will now fit the role of the freshly created position of the Chairman of the governing body. In order to avoid an election process for the post, Dutta will be named the man for the job in the association’s annual general meeting (AGM).
In case you didn’t know…
Subrata Dutta earlier served as the Senior Vice-President of the All India Football Federation (AIFF). He was elected to the President’s post four years ago in 2014 and is all set to take on this new challenge.
The IFA is said to be the country’s oldest football association and was founded way back in 1893. Contrary to its name, the IFA does not control football in India. However, it certainly played an important role in the development of the AIFF as the newer governing body that took charge of the beautiful game on a national basis.
Heart of the matter
While Subrata Dutta will be filling in the new position of the Chairman of the IFA, Ajit Banerjee, the chief of the Bengal Olympic Association (BOA) is set to succeed him as the President of the IFA. Meanwhile, Utpal Ganguli will be continuing his stint as the secretary of the association.
While addressing the media on Sunday, Ganguli revealed, "Dutta has been nominated as the new chairman of the IFA and the governing body will duly elect him. As it's a new post, the IFA constitution needs to be amended. We didn’t want to lose the services of Mr. Dutta, three generations of whose family has been involved with football in India and hence the decision”
“Hopefully, we'll be able to complete all legal formalities before the AGM, which is likely to be held on July 2," he added.
What’s next?
Although Dutta will play an advisory part as chairman, he will relish polling rights and his duties will comprise of the selection of the IFA's representative to be present at the AIFF meetings. Subrata will also have the final word in case of any quarrel amid office-bearers.
We now await the annual meeting post which Subrata Dutta will be stepping up as the chairman of the IFA. It is set to take place on July 2, 2018.
Author’s take
It will be interesting to follow the development and progress football in India makes under the guidance of the newly named chairman. Subrata Dutta will continue to enjoy the same authority he used to as President. His 4-year-term shall begin soon and being a permanent member of IFA’s governing body, he will hopefully give an additional boost and infuse new energy into the organization.
